Due to the advent of computers, tablets and phones, people rarely write, and if they do, it’s short texts to friends and loved ones, or emails. A lot of clients laugh when we tell them to keep a detailed journal after a Chicago car accident or Illinois injury event. Most, if not all people view journals as not only archaic, but infantile, a habit they grew out of in their teens or mid twenties. What most people don’t realize, however, is that your Chicago personal injury claim hinges on clear and objective evidence, more than anything else. To this end, a journal is an indispensable part of your Illinois personal injury claim that you should never ignore as it may inform not only the true value of your claim, but also its validity.

Are you looking for a personal injury attorney in Chicago or anywhere else in Illinois? Please call us NOW at 1 (773) 825-3547 for more information on your legal options for compensation. Our friendly and aggressive attorneys have more than 90 years of combined experience helping the people of Illinois and Northwest Indiana get the compensation they deserve after an injury caused by negligence. Don’t wait: call us at 1 (773) 825-3547 for your absolutely FREE and confidential consultation into your Chicago personal injury claim.

Here’s how you should go about keeping an injury journal:

Put Down All Accident Details

Write down all the details of your Illinois personal injury accident the day or week or month of your accident. Make sure to go over the details in your head, and give yourself sufficient time for any buried memories to surface. This may mean leaving empty paragraphs that you can come and fill up at a later date. Include things like the weather, the time of day, who was present at the scene, and if there were any defining aspects of the accident such as any broken guardrails or fallen trees due to the impact of the accident. In addition, include what the other driver was doing shortly after the accident, as well as anything anyone may have said or remarked at the time the accident occurred.

Monitor Your Pain and Discomfort Levels

It is important to document how injuries have affected your wellbeing and your ability to be a productive family member and worker as a result of your Chicago personal injury claim. Note down which body parts are in pain, the nature of the pain, its intensity on a scale of 1 to 10, its evolution and so on. Be as detailed as possible, but do not exaggerate. Explain how the pain and discomfort has impacted your life, as well as any remarks others may have put out corroborating the existence and intensity of your discomfort and pain.

Write About Life Changes Brought on By Your Injuries

Keep a daily log in your injury journal of some of the things you cannot do as well as the changes you have had to make as a result of your injuries. For example, you may mention that you may need assistance going up the stairs since your accident, or the fact that you may have had to wear hearing aids due to ruptured eardrums after your Illinois personal injury event. Make sure to be as objective as you can, and refrain from emotional or hyperbolic language which may be interpreted as a subjective opinion.

Keep Track of Work Changes

Were you unable to go back to work on certain days due to your accident? Did you have to rest and recover for a number of weeks on account of your Chicago personal injury event? Did you have to take time off to see a doctor? Write about them in your injury journal; these details will account for your lost wages claim.

Keep a Detailed Account of All Medical Appointments

Perhaps the most important aspect of your claim is the medical aspect where you keep track of all doctor’s appointments and what recommendations and medications the doctor dispensed. In addition, make note of the total number of miles you had to travel to and from the doctor’s so you can receive travel reimbursement as part of your Illinois personal injury claim.

Final Word Regarding Your Personal Injury Journal

As you go about keeping this injury journal, please note that your diary may be submitted as evidence. This means that both the judge and opposing counsel will have the legal right to read everything contained in it. This means that your journal should not only be objective, but one which doesn’t contain any inflammatory, derogatory or threatening language which may effectively cancel out or diminish the value of your Chicago personal injury claim. There are instances where we may argue that the journal is privileged information, but keep in mind that it may be used as evidence, particularly if you started writing before hiring us.

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Need more help and advice on your Chicago personal injury case? Please call us NOW at 1 (773) 825-3547 for your free and confidential consultation into your claim. We look forward to hearing from you.