The Importance of Keeping a Car Accident Journal
While it is true that proving fault for a collision is largely dependent on evidence from the scene of the accident, including photographs and police reports, some of the most convincing proof can come from the parties themselves. Keeping a car accident journal after a crash can, for instance, make all the difference when it comes to establishing liability or damages in a negligence case. To learn more about the steps that you could take to help strengthen your own personal injury case, please reach out to our experienced Fort Lauderdale auto accident attorneys today.
What are Car Accident Journals?
As their name suggests, car accident journals are first-hand accounts of car crashes, written by the parties who were involved in the collision. Memories can fade over time and a person could end up forgetting important details that could make or break a case. By keeping a car accident journal about the crash itself and the results of that accident, injured parties can help paint a picture of what happened on the day of the crash and how that collision has affected their day-to-day lives since. Those who choose to start an accident journal should begin taking notes as soon as possible after the crash and should be sure to include only complete and accurate information.
What to Write in a Car Accident Journal
When starting a car accident journal, an accident victim will want to include certain material, including:
- Details about the collision, including what happened before, during, and after the crash, as well as the date and time, weather, and road conditions at the time of the accident;
- A list of doctor’s appointments and medical information, including all of the medications he or she is taking, diagnoses, recommended courses of treatment, and the cost of those services;
- Details about the physical pain accompanying the accident-related injuries and other symptoms; and
- Notes about how the accident has impacted his or her life, including events that person may have been unable to attend, or hobbies in which he or she can no longer participate.
How a person keeps a car accident journal is completely up to the individual. Some, for instance, choose to use a pen and paper, while others use electronic devices. Regardless of the form that the journal takes, those who create them should be sure to carefully date all of their entries. Finally, while journals are not typically things that we share with others, a car accident-related journal should be shared with the writer’s attorney, who can help determine how it can be used as evidence of negligence in the case.
Get Legal Help Today
If you were seriously injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, working with an experienced Florida lawyer can help you get fair compensation. One of the ways this could be achieved is through the use of convincing evidence, such as a car accident journal, which a lawyer will be able to use to support a plaintiff’s claim of negligence. Call Boone & Davis at 954-566-9919 to learn more about how an experienced Florida car accident lawyer could help with your own case.
Resource:
jury.flcourts.org/civil-jury-instructions-home/civil-instructions/
