In the United States, just about any time you see a person in front of a television camera, it is usually because they have filed a lawsuit and are speaking out against the other party involved. This leads people to believe that if you want to fight for your rights after an accident without hiring a lawyer, then you must be signing up for some sort of legal battle. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth; there is no reason why you can’t get what you deserve when it comes to working through your accident case by yourself.
Find All The Information About Your Accident And Injury As Possible
A 2020 statistical data from the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) reported more than 100,000 traffic accidents. This is a significant number, considering it was collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a relatively high traffic accident rate in this region, one might ask: What if I cannot afford a personal injury attorney in Detroit? One of the best things anyone can do after an accident is gathering as much information as they can about the incident. You should start by getting as many witness statements as you can, and then compile all that information into a file that will be used to help you fight for your rights later on down the line. Try and keep track of what day and time it happened, how it happened and any injuries suffered. This will come in handy if one or more parties end up dealing with memory loss or have difficulty recalling some important details.
The first 24-48 hours after an accident are crucial. After an incident, most people are going to feel angry, upset, and shaken up, so it’s understandable if you don’t want to deal with anything related to the accident. However, for your own sake, it is important that you make yourself available as much as possible during those initial 48 hours because from a legal standpoint “statutes of limitation” may apply. It’s also a good idea to take a few photos of the scene, just in case anyone party ends up disputing the facts at a later date. If you have doubts or questions about the statutes of limitation in your state, it is best to ask for legal assistance. There are many lawyers that offer free consultation or contingency fee arrangements if you hire one, so you don’t have to worry about money for the time being.
Gather All Documents Related to the Accident
Document the extent of your injuries once they have been treated. You can expect to be in treatment for a minimum of two months, but it is likely that you will be out of work and unable to perform normal activities for a longer period of time. Document all lost wages with pay stubs or bank statements showing direct deposit income. Consider asking friends and family members if they would be willing to provide information on what expenses they covered during your recovery period. If you are not able to perform household chores or tasks at home, then ask someone who might normally help you with these things to document how much time their assistance took over the course of several weeks.
Include medical records, photographs, witness reports, police records, receipts for medical treatments, and mileage logs if you are using your vehicle to get back and forth to the doctor. You should also take notes on how your injury affects you emotionally or psychologically as well as physically. Past expenses that may not be related directly to the accident such as lost wages, child care, or transportation can also be added to bolster your claim.
Include Information About Who Was at Fault
In order to claim a successful settlement from an accident, you will need to prove that the party at fault was negligent in some way. Whether this is through distracted driving or otherwise being careless, you will need to provide evidence of whose actions led to your injuries. By including eyewitness accounts and photographs where appropriate, you can add greater weight to your claim.
Prepare an Inventory of Property Damages
If the accident has caused property damage, you will need to create a comprehensive list of what was damaged and its value in order to make a claim against the responsible party’s insurance company. This should include information about broken glass and other items caused by debris from accidents, including fires and storms. If there is still visible damage to your property, you will need photographs.
Don’t Forget About Emotional Suffering
If your injuries have caused mental pain or stress-related problems such as anxiety or depression, be sure to document these in case they affect treatment decisions in the future. If accidents have prevented you from going back to work in a timely manner, including information about how this has affected your household budget and other stresses added financial burdens due to child care or transportation to treatment.
With all of this information at your disposal, you can easily understand how important it is to take legal action after an accident. While some people like to work things out on their own or think that they should never need a lawyer’s help with any case, not hiring a lawyer for your personal injury case could end up costing you more than the price of their services.
