Personal injuries happen fast. This is something that people who have never been involved in a personal injury may not fully understand, but the shock of being perfectly fine one moment and finding yourself injured the next is something that can leave you without answers and not knowing what to do (incidentally, speak to a New Orleans personal injury attorney if you have been affected).
If we knew that injuries were going to happen, we would avoid them. The fact that they happen at all suggests a certain element of surprise. And that’s why, today, we’re going to cover what to do after a personal injury, so that the surprise of it all doesn’t leave you struggling for a course of action.
Report the incident
Whether you are injured at work or whether you are injured in a public place, you should endeavour to report the injury to the relevant property/business owner or proprietor. This task is relatively simple if you are inside a closed space with management on hand (e.g. restaurant, museum), but if you are in on a public street, for example, you may need to notify the relevant local authority via phone or email. Having a record of your injury at the time of the incident is something that could potentially be used in the evidence supporting your claim for personal injury compensation. Let’s cover more on gathering evidence…
Gather evidence
Gathering evidence can mean something as simple as taking photos of your injuries and taking photos of the accident scene. This is important, because where a business owner or proprietor later tidies the area in which your accident occurred, vital evidence such as the presence of a spillage, for example, could be removed, meaning that your claim could come down your word against theirs. You may also wish to take the contact details of any witnesses (where CCTV is available, your lawyer will have more information on the means to access the footage).
Don’t rely on the ‘other side’ to do the right thing
When you are injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be able to start a claim for personal injury compensation. When you do, the person or entity against whom/which you make your claim is generally known as the ‘other side’, although other terms do exist.
One of the mistakes people make immediately following an injury is to speak to the ‘other side’ and wait for that person or entity to do the right thing in terms of providing adequate compensation and support. Whereas some people or companies may choose to offer the support and financial compensation to which you are entitled, many people find that not much happens in terms of movement for several days and weeks, leaving the question as to what is happening hanging over them.
The solution? Speak to a lawyer for more answers. You may not know how to handle your claim, but a personal injury lawyer is likely to have more knowledge on how to make progress.
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