5 Things To Do If You Have Suffered A Personal Injury

Personal injury incidents are accidents and avoidable events that cause you physical, financial, or emotional harm, and that are partly or entirely the fault of a third party. Incidents such as car crashes, slip and fall events, and dog bites are common personal injury claims when these events occur due to an individual’s or company’s negligence or recklessness. Where fault is found to lie with another person or entity, you can be entitled to compensation.

However, there will be a statute of limitations on your claim, so you need to act quickly. Here are five things you need to do following an accident that results in a personal injury, including seeing a medical professional and gathering evidence of the event, injury, and negligence of the culpable party.

See A Doctor

One of the first things you will want to do following an accident is to visit an accident and emergency room or a doctor’s practice. This will firstly, and very importantly, ensure you get all of the medical help you need. Moreover, however, this will provide you with a paper trail documenting your injuries and visit. This can be useful evidence when filing a liability claim.

Collect Evidence

There are other vital pieces of evidence that can assist you in your lawsuit, including photos of the injury and the scene of the accident. If you suffered an accident in a workplace or commercial location, file an incident report and have it signed. If there is CCTV footage or a dashcam present, collect this evidence too. The more resolutely you can prove the liability of the third party involved, the easier the process will be for you.

Talk To A Lawyer

The most important step, and one to be taken quickly, is to contact a personal injury lawyer whose job is to fight for you in your pursuit of compensation and justice. Professional and hard-working personal injury lawyers at The Terry Law Firm can advocate for you, with their client-centered and heartfelt approach and help you to maximize the financial compensation you will receive. This process can be time-consuming as your lawyer will work tirelessly to collect evidence and fight for the best possible financial outcome for you in court. So, do not delay in seeking legal advice.

Seek Compensation

You can seek financial compensation as a means of providing justice and support to an accident victim following the incident. This compensation can cover a range of suffering. For instance, it is likely that after your accident, you will very quickly start receiving medical bills. These can provide a huge financial strain on you and your dependents. Whether your medical bills are just from the day of the accident, for months following, or even for years of ongoing care, your compensation can support this potentially massive expense. Moreover, compensation can cover lifelong care, when applicable.

As well as medical bills, compensation can cover emotional distress and lost income. You should receive fair compensation to alleviate the suffering caused by a depleted quality and enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, and emotional trauma following the accident. If your personal injury has rendered you unable to work, or not able to earn the same income you did before, compensation should cover the disparity in earnings. This makes a huge difference for you and your loved ones.

Don’t Delay

The statute of limitations in Tennessee on filing a personal injury claim states that you must file your lawsuit within one year of the date of the accident. This means that after the one-year mark, you can lose your right to seek compensation in a civil court for your injuries and suffering. As the process can take some weeks, it is important not to delay in getting the lawsuit started. Talk to a lawyer, have your evidence, and do not wait.

This has been a very brief and simple guide on five very important things to remember after you have suffered a personal injury in an accident partly or entirely caused by a third party. First, you must seek medical advice. This protects you from further harm, gives you the best chances of a good recovery, and also provides you with key evidence to support your liability claim. Second, you should collect all the evidence you can that the incident occurred how you say it did, and that it was avoidable or caused by a third party’s recklessness or negligence. Take photos, file a report, and find any available footage.

Third, talk to a lawyer. This is crucial, so ensure you find a lawyer you trust. Fourth, seek compensation, with the professional guidance of your lawyer. And finally, do not delay! Don’t forget the statute of limitations.