Should I Keep A Post-Accident Journal?
If you have spoken with a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer or even just performed a quick Google search of your options after being injured in an automobile accident, you have probably learned that keeping a detailed ‘recovery journal' is a good idea.
What is a recovery journal?
Intended as an opportunity for you to monitor your physical and emotional health and recovery progress, it can also assist you and your auto accident attorney in more accurately assessing the impact your car accident injuries have had on your daily life (including your ability to perform normal activities) and your overall physical and emotional health. Both of these factors can be critical determinants of your financial recovery.
What do I write in my journal?
Writing does not come easy to everyone, and it is easy to feel self-conscious when writing about yourself. But it is important! And with time, will feel more natural. The important thing is that you take the time each day to do it.
If you’re unsure about what to write down in your post-accident recovery journal, you are not alone! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Notes about your doctors’ appointments and hospital visits
- Records of prescriptions drugs and over-the-counter remedies you are using to manage your injuries, including painkillers, ibuprofen, heating pads, joint braces, etc...
- Notes about your physical, mental, and emotional state
- The amount of pain you are in on a daily, or even hourly, basis (using a pain-rating scale of 1 – 10)
- Any limitations on your daily life as a result of the car accident
- Whether your injuries affect or limit your ability to perform at work; such missed work days
As we have discussed in previous blog posts, if you were injured as a result of another person’s negligence or entity’s negligence, you deserve to be financially compensated. Both the law and the experienced personal injury lawyers at Ghozland Law Firm are on your side. Maintaining an honest account of your injuries and the effect they have had on your life can be helpful to your claim and can serve as a guide for our lawyers while walking you through the process.
For a free, no obligation consultation, contact the Ghozland Law Firm today.