Your Injury Journal What It Is and Why It’s Important

Posted Tuesday, January 21, 2014 by Chris Thayer

When discussing your case, your Seattle accident law firm might ask you to begin keeping a journal of your pain and suffering as morbid as that sounds. This will be useful for proving how your injuries have impacted your life and how you are recovering, which are things your Seattle accident law firm will need to establish to the insurance company to have any hope of a settlement.

Additionally, if your case goes to trial, the journal will be an effective too for helping you and your Seattle accident law firm remember what happened on any given day.

Record Your Emotions and Feelings

The pain you feel doesn’t just include physical pain from your injury. It also includes emotional and mental pain from having to endure it. Your Seattle accident lawyer will advise you to write openly and honestly about your condition, but try to avoid being overly pessimistic. Also, try to be literal and specific and not exaggerate. If you write “I can’t move my arm,” you might think it’s acceptable as a figure of speech, but your Seattle accident law firm will want to know if you could literally not move your arm at all and, if you could, that journal entry will be inaccurate. Your Seattle accident law firm might tell you that it could be used against you at cross-examination.

Instead, write down how you are limited. If you are having difficulty sleeping or moving specific joints, write that down. Try to be as specific as you can. Ask your Seattle accident lawyer for advice if you are having trouble figuring out what to write.

It is also important you to write down the positive side such as how you are coping with your injury. Give some examples of how you are trying to change your lifestyle to accommodate your restrictions or how you are dealing with the pain. Your Seattle accident law firm can give you some ideas.

Record Your Lost Income

You should also keep a written record of any lost wages, W-2s or payroll stubs related to your injury and inability to work. Your Seattle accident lawyer will need these to get the entire picture of how much you have suffered financially. Without them, you will need to sign authorization forms to allow him to obtain them on his own.

Get the experienced help you need from a Seattle accident law firm when preparing to file a personal injury claim. Call Chris Thayer at 206-340-2008.