Evidence in Chicago Personal Injury Claims

When attempting to prove liability and the nature of your injuries in a personal injury case, you’ll need plenty of documentation to support your claim. Knowing how to obtain and organize evidence in Chicago personal injury claims could mean the difference between succeeding and failing to recover total compensation.

Learn more about the kinds of evidence you need to build a case and how a personal injury attorney could assist you in collecting evidence.

Types of Evidence in Chicago Personal Injury Claims

There are multiple pieces of critical evidence that may help prove liability and increase a claimant’s chances of success. This evidence often includes the following.

Medical Records and Bills

One of the primary pieces of evidence in personal injury cases is medical records and bills or receipts. These documents could help prove that injuries resulted from the inciting accident and the liable party’s negligence. At the same time, they can prove the extent of injuries.

Police Reports

Another crucial document to obtain is a police report, which law enforcement officials could draft at the scene of the accident. This report could then corroborate the victim’s claims and include witness statements regarding the accident.

Witness Statements

Even if a police report doesn’t include all witness statements, an attorney could reach out to witnesses at a later date to get an official statement, which could further support the claimant’s version of events.

Photographs and Video Evidence

Photos or video footage of the accident scene, property damage, and injuries may provide sufficient visual evidence to prove liability and all related physical damage.

Proof of Lost Income

Pay stubs and other documentation could prove how an individual suffered loss of income because of the accident. It may also be possible to show how a disability led to lost earning capacity.

Proof of Property Damage

Receipts for repaired or replaced property, including vehicles and other belongings, may help prove these economic damages.

Diary or Journal Entries

In proving non-economic damages like pain and suffering and psychological distress following an accident, it’s important for injury victims to write about their personal experience and the road to recovery.

How an Attorney Could Help With Evidence

All of the above types of evidence can be challenging to acquire and organize in a Chicago personal injury case. Hiring a lawyer can simplify the process of collecting evidence and presenting it in a claim. Using the evidence gathered, an attorney could effectively identify all liable parties and hold them accountable for their negligence.

In the process, we could negotiate insurance claims with the liable parties’ insurance companies, with an understanding of the total amount of compensation to seek. Even if the case doesn’t settle during negotiations, an experienced attorney may be able to initiate the trial process to seek compensation in court.

Consult a Chicago Attorney for Help With Evidence in Your Claim

If you want to ensure you have the evidence needed to succeed with a personal injury claim, it’s best to consult a lawyer with experience handling cases like yours. The right representative could collect evidence in Chicago personal injury claims, determine who is liable, calculate all related damages, and negotiate for total compensation. We handle every aspect of your case while you spend time recovering.

Get in touch with a personal injury attorney today to discuss your legal options in a free consultation.