How To Keep A Journal To Prove Emotional Damages After A Car Accident
The physical damages you incurred from a recent car accident are probably worth money in a personal injury lawsuit, especially if you have injuries that will affect you for the rest of your life. What you may not know, though, is that you can also request compensation for the emotional harm you have experienced and will experience in the future from the car accident. To have a better chance of winning compensation for your emotional trauma, you should keep a journal. Writing in a journal regularly is one of the best ways to prove that you have suffered emotionally from this accident, and here are some tips to help you do this.
Start Soon
The best time to start writing in a journal is as soon as possible after the car accident occurred. While it might not be possible for you to start the journal the same day, you should start as soon as you can. When you begin, you can simply write the details you remember about the accident. Be specific with the details you write about, and try to write down everything you remember.
By doing this, you are more likely to remember to tell your attorney every single detail that you can remember. On the other hand, if you do not write things down and do not hire an attorney for month or years, it will be very hard for you to remember every little detail.
Write In It As Often As Needed
This journal should be used to record the way you feel emotionally, physically, and relationally, and you should try to write in it whenever you are feeling any type of emotion that is related to the car accident and the way you feel. You do not have to write an entry every single day, and you shouldn't be surprised if you write a lot of entries at first and slowly write fewer.
The Things You Should Write About
The main purpose of keeping this journal is to prove that you have suffered a lot, and the details should describe how your life has changed since the accident. To prove that you have suffered and are going through changes because of the accident, you should include the following types of things in your journal:
- Emotions – If you feel sad about anything that might be related to the accident and the results of it, write the details in your journal. Explain what type of emotion you feel and why you feel it.
- Things you can no longer do – You should also describe things you cannot do anymore because of your accident. This may include driving or being able to attend family functions. If you cannot work, you can describe the impact this has had on your life.
- Sleep issues – If you suffer from sleep issues or nightmares, describe them in your journal.
- Medication and visits to the doctor – By writing in details of your doctor visits, you can prove the amount of time you spent dealing with your injuries. Having to be on medication is also something that might affect you emotionally, and you can also describe the effects this has on your life.
- Counseling visits – If you are seeking help from a counselor, be sure to include the dates in which you had counseling sessions as well as details from each of the meetings.
As your lawyer is preparing your case, he or she may ask for this journal at some point. It will be given to the judge and may be presented to the other party in the lawsuit, and this is important to know before you begin writing in it. Your private journal might not stay completely private.
If you have any questions about your case or tips for keeping a journal, be sure to ask a lawyer that specializes in accident cases.
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