Personal Injury is a complex topic that requires plenty of research and understanding, with many important aspects to consider. Should you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having to pursue a personal injury claim, here’s a detailed guide for you to follow that will make the process easier for you to understand…
What Constitutes a Personal Injury?
A variety of incidents can be classed as a personal injury, with the most obvious being a physical injury sustained, a disease, an illness or a psychological injury or illness. Examples of personal injuries include an injury sustained at work, which also includes work-related illnesses such as disease caused by harmful materials such as asbestos, psychological injuries caused by stress, injuries caused by errors during hospital treatment, injuries caused as a result of faulty services or equipment and psychological illnesses caused by harassment in the workplace.
What to Consider
You can act on your own behalf after suffering a personal injury but you may also be looking to act on behalf of someone who has suffered or died as a result of a personal injury. In the event of making a complaint you will want to consider which person or organisation you believe to be responsible. You need to consider whether you want to make a claim for compensation over losses you have suffered as a result of the injury and whether you have experienced any immediate financial problems as a result. You should also consider approaching a separate organisation that can offer support or counselling.
Moving Forward
If you’re wondering what action to take from this point onward, it’s important to understand that there are many different paths you can choose and you aren’t restricted in the matter. Whatever your intentions are, here are some of the actions you can take:
- Report it to your insurance company if the injury was caused by a road accident, as insurance cover may become invalid of it is not reported promptly.
- If the injury is serious or capable of becoming more serious over time, it’s important to bring it to the attention of your doctor. The doctor will be asked to provide a medical report of the injury should you take the matter to court.
- Gather as much evidence as you can, whether this is photographs of the scene and the damage caused or an account of the incident, which you should do while it is still fresh in your memory. If you know of any witnesses to the incident, take their names and addresses.
- Inform the police of the accident as soon as possible, if for example the injury was caused by a road accident
Article provided by George Ide LLP, a personal injury lawyer serving private clients – based in London & Chichester since 1966