Top 10 tips for making a personal injury claim

After suffering an injury in an accident that wasn’t your fault, making a claim for compensation can be a daunting process. Most people are unaware of the key elements that could help you win compensation. Personal Injury specialist Catherine Hyde outlines her top 10 tips for making a personal injury claim.

Recovering from an injury or illness as a result of someone else’s wrongdoing or negligence is likely to be an emotional and stressful time. While winning compensation is unlikely to be the first thing on your mind, it could help you to get your life back on track. If you are unfortunate enough to suffer an injury and you think you are entitled to compensation, there are a few things you can do to help make your claim.

1. Seek medical attention immediately

Before doing anything, the most important thing is to seek medical help. Sometimes injuries can be worse than they might originally seem and a medical professional can identify exactly what’s wrong and offer the right help. Doctors and nurses will also keep a record of your injuries which can help with your claim.

2. Report the accident as soon as practical and make sure it is recorded

Whether your accident occurs at work or in a public place, make sure you report the incident to the right people and that a record is made. If the accident is as a result of a road traffic accident, it should be reported to the police.

3. Take photographs of the location of the accident

Pictures taken of the location at the time of the accident can be used as evidence to show the circumstance and help identify any negligence or wrongdoing which could have caused the incident. If you’re involved in a road traffic accident, ensure you take pictures of the damage of any vehicles involved.

4. If your accident is related to tripping, take and record measurements of the defect

Tripping or falling over something are common causes of accidents and often occur as a result of negligence or maintenance issues. If you tripped over something that should not have been there, or became a hazard over time that wasn’t dealt with, make a note of the measurements to go along with your photo of the location.

5. Take photographs of any injuries

It’s a good idea to take pictures of the injuries you sustained from the accident. You have up to three years from the date of the accident to make a personal injury claim and if you don’t make your claim soon after, your injuries may heal and fade so it is important to keep a record.

6. Keep all receipts and documents of any costs and expenses incurred

It’s a good idea to keep track of any costs and expenses that you incurred due to any tasks or care you were unable to carry out yourself because of the injuries sustained from the accident. This could include paying for taxis, for example, or loss of income. These can help with your claim and you could get compensation to cover the expenses.

7. Keep a note of any care provided to you following the accident by family and friends

If you were unable to undertake aspects of personal care as a result of your accident and needed help from friends and family, it’s a good idea to keep a timeline of how long you needed to be cared for and what the care entailed. This can help determine how much compensation you could receive.

8. Be cautious when dealing direct with insurance companies

Sometimes people will opt to deal with the personal injury claim directly with the insurance company to try to avoid additional fees or as a bid to get the matter resolved quickly. This can lead to the claimant receiving a lot less compensation than they are entitled to and could receive if they pursued their claim through a lawyer. It’s always best to seek professional, specialist advice before commencing your claim through an insurance company.

9. Do not sign any documents if you do not understand them

Before signing any documents, it’s important to make sure you understand every detail and get a specialist lawyer to check it over if you are unsure about anything.

10. Seek advice from a specialist personal injury lawyer to pursue your claim on your behalf

If you need to make a personal injury claim, get help and advice from a specialist lawyer who will have extensive knowledge and understand the unique nature of your claim. Here at Coodes we have leading experts with over 40 years’ experience in winning personal injury claims. Not only can we help with compensation but we can also help you get medical treatment, rehabilitation and any support you need.

For more information or advice on this issue, contact Catherine Hyde in Coodes Solicitors’ Personal Injury team on 01326 214032 or Catherine.hyde@coodes.co.uk.