If you were injured in an accident, you generally have three years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury claim in court to seek compensation for your injuries. An attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve for not only physical injuries, but also psychological injuries, which can be difficult to spot. Due to the difficulties involved with establishing the connection between an accident and psychological distress, as well as the severity and extent of the psychological injuries, it's best if you hire a personal injury attorney. Here are 3 types of evidences they normally recommend you have.
Records of Prescription Medications Prescribed and Taken to Deal with Symptoms
Most psychological issues exhibit physical symptoms that are difficult to ignore. You might have nightmares of the incident, suffer from insomnia, have anxiety or panic attacks and even develop suicidal thoughts. To provide relief from these symptoms, there's a good chance that your psychiatrist or physician prescribed you with an array of medications. A record of the type and dosage of medication prescribed can give the court some insight as to how the accident affected you psychologically.
Detailed Psychological Reports from Psychiatrist
To prevent the other party from pinning the psychological duress on other events that happened in your life, seek medical attention as soon as possible, and continue to seek medical attention until you have fully recovered. To help treat and deal with psychological symptoms, you'll likely want to see a psychiatrist. It's a good idea to stick with the same psychiatrist so that the psychiatrist can provide you with a detailed report that outlines the timeline and progress of the symptoms. A psychiatrist can also provide expert testimony in court.
Thorough Journals Describing Your Experience Backed by Witness Testimony
No one knows you as well as yourself. You can help further support and strengthen your case by keeping a thorough daily journal that describes your experience and the inner turmoil that you struggle with. It's even better if witnesses can back up certain events that you have recorded in the journal.
Conclusion
Psychological distress caused by an accident is no joke. It can have lasting effects that prevent you from fully enjoying and living your life; however, the extent and severity of psychological harm can be difficult to prove. This is why you will require the assistance of a personal injury attorney if you wish to seek compensation for these types of consequences.
Share18 April 2017
Hello, my name is Jenny and this is my probate law blog. I should say now, I am not a lawyer and I have not had any professional legal training. However, I do know a thing or two about probate. I taught myself a lot after the death of my grandma. My grandma left a lot of money and property behind, but unfortunately, she didn't leave a will. This lead to several family members staking a claim on the inheritance. I instructed a lawyer to act on my mother's behalf to ensure that she was not cheated out of her share.