How to Document Pain and Suffering for Personal Injury Claims in Atlanta
Not all personal injury claims involve pain and suffering; however, if you document your injuries properly and they do have a substantial impact on your life, you may be eligible to pursue compensation for pain and suffering.
An Atlanta personal injury lawyer can help you prepare your documentation properly to support your claim and highlight your pain and suffering to pursue compensation. Here is how to document pain and suffering for a personal injury claim in Atlanta:
Seeking Medical Treatment
The first step in pursuing pain and suffering in your personal injury claim is to ensure that you seek medical attention right after your accident occurs. While you receive medical treatment, accurately describe your symptoms, including the pain you are experiencing, to your healthcare provider.
Once you are subjected to a treatment plan, follow it and attend all necessary follow-up appointments accordingly, as failure to do so can backfire on your claim later. It’s essential to keep a record of all medical documents related to your injuries and treatment, such as doctor’s reports, hospital records, diagnostic test results, prescriptions, and even medication receipts.
Documenting Pain Symptoms
Although keeping track of your medical treatments is important, you should also keep a detailed journal to document your pain symptoms on a daily basis. In this journal or diary, you should describe the pain’s intensity and location and how it affects your ability to perform daily activities.
Every limitation or restriction should be highlighted, and you must emphasize the dates, times, and descriptions of the pain you experience with great accuracy.
Collecting Evidence
Physical injuries are intertwined with pain and suffering, which is why you should take photographs of those visible injuries as they heal over time. Such visual statements and records can act as evidence to demonstrate the physical impact of those injuries and the progression of your recovery.
It is also essential to collect witness statements to use as evidence of your pain and suffering. For example, you can ask witnesses who may have seen your accident occur or witnesses to your recovery to provide written or recorded statements about how the injuries affected you.
Consult With Mental Health Professionals
Accident injuries can cause emotional distress, anxiety, depression, or other psychological effects. Work with a mental health professional. They can evaluate your symptoms and condition and provide treatment and additional supporting documentation for the pain and suffering you had to go through due to your accident.
Work With a Personal Injury Lawyer
Lastly, the best way to properly document pain and suffering for a personal injury claim is to work with an experienced personal injury attorney. A lawyer can guide you through the legal processes in Atlanta and highlight your pain and suffering to seek non-economic damage awards. They can help you understand the legal requirements for proving pain and suffering and can further assist you in gathering the necessary evidence to support your claim.