How to Help a Loved One Build a Strong Car Accident Claim
Watching a loved one struggle in the aftermath of wreck is enough to leave even the strongest individuals feeling powerless. If someone in your family was recently hurt in a car accident, you’re probably wondering what—if anything—you can do to help.
While you won’t be able to erase their injuries and restore their health, you may be able to alleviate some of the financial challenges they’re now facing. By putting together a strong car accident claim on the victim’s behalf, you can help them seek compensation for all associated damages.
Let’s explore some of the biggest ways you can contribute to the strength of their claim:
1. Preserve Their Medical Records
Your family member has enough to worry about without having to organize all their records for the subsequent proceedings. After every surgery, hospitalization, diagnostic test, procedure, follow-up exam, and physical therapy session, copy any paperwork they received to ensure redundancy, and then file the documents in a safe place. You should also save all x-ray images, MRI scans, CT results, and prescriptions.
2. Help Them Keep a Low Profile
As long as your loved one’s claim is pending, the insurance adjuster will probably be monitoring their online activity. Since the carrier will be looking for any reason to challenge their credibility, you should instruct them to stay off social media altogether.
You should also instruct the rest of your family to avoid posting about the accident or the victim’s injuries on their own profiles. Likewise, remind them not to publish photos of the injured party or to tag them in any posts that might give the insurance adjuster reason to question the validity of the claim.
3. Log All Injury-Related Expenses
Car accident victims may pursue funds for both the economic and non-economic damages they incur as a result of their injuries. Examples include:
- Property repairs;
- Alternative transportation;
- Domestic help;
- Replacement services;
- Home and vehicle modifications;
- Medical bills;
- Lost wages;
- Loss of earning capacity;
- Emotional distress;
- Loss of enjoyment in life; and
- Pain and suffering.
Devise a filing system similar to the one you’re using to preserve your loved one’s medical records, and save all relevant bills, receipts, and invoices your family receives for their injury-related expenses.
As for proving non-economic damages like pain and suffering, advise the victim to start a personal injury journal. (Depending on their condition, they may need to dictate entries to you.) Instruct them to write about the ways in which their injuries are affecting their emotional wellbeing, mental health, and overall quality of life.
Speak with a West Palm Beach Car Accident Lawyer
At Donaldson & Weston, we pride ourselves on advocating for those who may not be able to advocate for themselves. Our resourceful team is equipped to go up against even the largest auto insurer carriers, and we’re not afraid to take them to court when negotiations prove futile. To schedule your free case review with a car accident attorney in West Palm Beach, fill out our Contact Form or call 561-299-3999.
