Should I Keep a Personal Injury Diary After My Accident?

Many attorneys recommend that you keep a personal injury diary after an accident. These diaries or journals could help you retain important details about your case. Personal injury lawsuits can take months or even years, so keeping a record of your injuries and recovery could be valuable.

That said, it is important to remember that these diaries could be used as evidence in court. While a personal injury diary can be a useful tool, how you use these diaries is important. A personal injury lawyer could advise you on how best to use an injury diary.

What is the purpose of a personal injury diary?

A personal injury diary is just that—a journal used to collect all of the important details regarding a personal injury case. This diary could include written entries, or it could be used as a scrapbook with documents and clippings.

A personal injury diary could include countless pieces of important information. Typically, this diary includes recollections of a person’s injuries as well as their efforts to treat them. Often, these journals make careful note of the extent of a person’s physical pain. A personal injury diary could include other pieces of information, including:

• Police reports
• Factual recollection of the accident
• Important dates
• Weather condition
• Notes on conversations with insurance carriers

Ultimately, the purpose of these diaries is to provide a full accounting of your accident. This tool could help you refresh your recollection if your case goes forward, and it could assist your attorney in building a winning lawsuit.

Regular use of the diary

There are no formal rules or guidelines when it comes to using a personal injury diary. That said, it is important that you begin to use the diary immediately after your accident occurs. This is because the circumstances surrounding a serious injury can change rapidly in the days following an accident. This period is also when your recollection of the accident will be clear. As time passes, important details can fade.

You do not have to write in your journal every day. However, it is helpful to regularly write in the journal. You should always make an entry into the journal after important dates or major changes in your condition.

Talk to an attorney about your personal injury diary

A personal injury diary could be a valuable tool in your pursuit of financial compensation. However, it might not be immediately clear to you how to make the best use of these diaries. An attorney could advise you on how to build a strong case through the use of a personal injury diary.

The attorneys of Kantrowitz, Goldhamer, Graifman, Perlmutter & Carballo, P.C., are ready to help you fight for fair compensation. In addition to assisting you with an injury diary, we could also handle every aspect of your personal injury case. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.