Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

What to do in event of a serious injury

 

Wednesday 02 January 2013 11:26 GMT
Comments

Suffering a serious injury is something we all dread and fear. The feeling that something could happen at any time that may stop us doing the things we love or need to do can be terrifying. If something was to happen and it wasn't even your fault, the feeling can be even worse. There are however, things you can do in this situation.

The first thing to do is of course, get some information or documentation ready to support your story of events. Things such as the insurance information of all parties concerned if you are in a road collision for example. Photos of the scene of a trip or fall you may have taken. While it may not be the first thing that springs to mind, it is important to remember.

The next stage would be to consider contacting someone who may be able to help, like Express Solicitors. A simple chat over the phone could provide you with any information you need about whether you may be able to make a claim for compensation, and they will be able to answer any questions you may have about how events could proceed.

If you choose to use a solicitors as a way of helping you, they will take over all contact from the insurance companies that may be involved, and any other contact with any other parties. This can be a big relief for those that are struggling to cope with the impact of an injury, and can free you up for concentrating on other important aspects of your life and recovery.

The solicitors will investigate your case once they have received it, to see whether there are grounds for them taking it on. During this time they will ask you many questions about the incident, the extent of your injuries, whether they have altered your life, and will also ask to see any of the documentation you have accrued. They may also contact people such as your doctor, police officers that may have been involved, or any other witnesses.

It is important that throughout this process you remain calm, considered and realistic about the extent of your injury. Some people may be seeking a quick payout of money, which could actually be counterproductive if an injury turns out to have long term effects that you had not considered or researched. At the same time it is also important not to push things too far and seek too much compensation for an injury that has required little treatment and will have very little impact on your life.

It is also worth bearing in mind that any action you may wish to take as the result of an injury is subject to a time limit. Action can only be taken for a certain amount of time after the incident occurs, and waiting too long may result in you not being able to make any claim you wish to. It is always best to take action straight away and get things moving to avoid being caught out by time delays.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in