Many people wonder what to do after an accident. They might feel lost and confused about how they can help their case. One of the most important things you can do that you have control over is to keep a pain diary. Below, we talk about pain journals and what to include in them. If you have any questions about this process, don’t hesitate to reach out to a car accident lawyer in Albuquerque, NM for help.
What Is a Pain Journal?
A pain journal is a written record that personal injury victims sometimes keep providing details about their pain and other information about their injuries.
Benefits of a pain journal include:
- You can keep an accurate record of your medical notes and condition.
- You can preserve your memories while they are fresh.
- You can refresh your memory with the information you write down in it.
Your pain journal may be shared with others, like the at-fault insurance company,, so it is important to keep this in mind when you are making notes in it.
What to Document
Your diary can keep lots of information, including:
Accident Facts
The first notation to include in your pain journal is a summary of the accident. Include all of the details you remember, like:
- The other driver’s name, insurance information, and contact information
- When, where, and how the accident happened
- The name of the agency that investigated the accident and the officer’s name and badge number
- Witness contact information
- Any statements the other party made at the scene of the accident
- Whether you took any pictures or video of the accident
- Whether any nearby cameras might have recorded the accident
Be sure to share this information with your Albuquerque car accident attorney so that they can quickly get to work on preserving the evidence in your case.
Facts About Your Injuries
You will also want to keep track of information regarding your injuries. Try to answer these questions throughout your journal entries:
- What injuries you sustained
- When you first noticed symptoms
- What symptoms you are having
- Whether you took an ambulance after the accident and to where
- The dates of your medical treatments
- The names of your medical providers
- Your medical bills
- How your injuries progressed over time
- The side effects of your treatment
Lost Time from Work
Keep track of the time you missed from work. Write down each day you missed and why, such as you had a medical appointment, you were under doctor’s orders not to work, or you were in too much pain to report to work. Also, keep track of how much money you lost from days off work, as well as benefits you had to use, such as sick leave or paid time off.
How the Accident Has Affected Your Everyday Life
Use your pain journal to describe how the accident has affected your everyday life, such as:
- Missing time from family or friends
- Needing more help at home or taking care of your kids
- Not being able to enjoy favorite hobbies
- Missing a vacation with loved ones
- Losing sleep because of your stress or pain
Pain Rating
It can also be helpful to keep track of how much pain you encounter over time. Keep a rating of 1-10 and indicate your pain rating each day.
Hurt? Call Bert Now
If you were hurt in an accident caused by someone else, you do not have to go through the claims process alone. A personal injury lawyer in Albuquerque can give you tips about the kinds of details to include in your pain diary and help you gather other evidence to substantiate your claims. Contact Parnall Law Firm, for experienced legal assistance. We have been helping injured accident victims in Albuquerque and Central New Mexico since 1997. Hurt? Call Bert.
