So, You’ve Had A Personal Injury – What Next?

If you are someone who works full time, who runs a household and who looks after multiple children, you probably do wonder from time to time how the other people in your life would cope if, for whatever reason, you were out of action for a number of weeks. For most of us,  however, it doesn’t get past us thinking about how hard it would be for them – we don’t tend to come up with any solutions for how we would actually cope. Sometimes, however, we will be forced into a situation where we cannot take on all the roles we are used to taking on, leaving other people around us having to fend for themselves. A prime example of this is if you end up being a victim of personal injury. ‘Personal injury’ is a legal term used to describe either or a physical or mental injury that occurs to a specific person, not to property or reputation. A personal injury is something all of us are at risk of, partially because they can come in so many different forms. You could suffer a personal injury in the workplace, or you could be involved in a road traffic accident. Equally, you could end up with a personal injury as a result of negligent hospital care, or you could have a psychological illness caused by harassment or another type of incident. But whatever category your personal injury falls into, one thing is for sure: it’s never all that fun. The accident itself can be traumatic enough, especially if your’s was particularly painful or has left you in great amounts of subsequent pain. But it’s also the immediate aftermath that can be a confusing and stressful time for both you and your family. The last thing you need is any more stress or worry at a time like this – so, here are some things you can do to make life-post personal injury as smooth as it can be.

Tell the relevant body

You might just want to curl up at home and hide from the world after a personal injury. But before you do anything of the sort, there are a few practicalities you need to go through, which include telling the relevant people information about your injury. Your first port of call should be your doctor, especially if you didn’t attend the hospital straight away and have been self-medicating. Hold onto any medical reports you are given as if you try to claim compensation for your accident; you will need such documents in court. On a similar note, you may also want to consider hiring an attorney to represent you if you already know the accident wasn’t your fault/it was avoidable. You can use websites such as ShreveportLawyer.com to find legal advice and a trusted professional who will be able to help you in your case. Other services you may need to inform about what happened are the police (if it was something like a road traffic accident, for example) and your workplace.

Gather evidence

You will have no hope of getting compensation for your personal injury on just your word alone. It may be difficult if you are in shock or pain, but try to collate as much evidence together as you can regarding your injury. This may include photographs of yourself, photographs of where it occurred, and you may even want to write down an account of the incident while it is still fresh in your mind. If there are any witnesses around you, make sure you get their names and addresses so you know you can rely on them in court, if the case gets that far. Getting the evidence will help your lawyer win the case. The personal injury lawyers at The Pendergrass Law Firm, PC are known for their high winning records. It is also worth keeping a record of what goes on in your life in the few weeks following the accident, such as medical bills, lost wages and hospital visits.

Arrange childcare

One of the first things you may think about, as a mom, when you’ve suffered a personal injury, is how you are going to continue to look after your kids. Moms these days do it all, whether it’s feeding them, clothing them and ferrying them to and from school. When your ability to do all that is suddenly stripped away from you it can be a scary time, and it can have a knock-on effect on your children too. The important thing to remember is not to attempt to carry on as normal despite everything. You may think you are doing your kids a favor by doing so, but in reality, you could just end up delaying your recovery even further. Speak to friends, family, and neighbors about what they can do to help you out. Even something like a friend offering to take your kids to school while you are recovering can be a huge weight off your mind, as you know you are doing all you can to keep life as normal for them as possible.

Give yourself time

The few weeks and months after a personal injury can be a testing time for anyone. Expecting to be back on your feet within a few days can be ambitious – remember that a full recovery could take a long time, depending on the severity of your injuries. Take your time and don’t rush things – if anything, try to enjoy the time you get to take some time out! Don’t stress about work, as this could only slow your recovery – rest assured that your company will cope without you for a while at least (most businesses are well enough equipped to deal with the fallout of something like this). Make sure you are still continuing to eat well and that you do your best to keep active, even if it’s just doing some couch exercises or going for a walk around the block. Most importantly, keep your mind active – something that is vital if you’re going to be stuck in the house for a long period of time. It might feel like a long road to recovery, but once you’re out the other side you’ll feel proud that you made it through.