When you are injured in a car accident, you incur a variety of expenses related to the accident, your injuries, and your recovery. It is very important to document your out-of-pocket expenses and losses for your accident claim. It is better to err on the side of caution when documenting damages because you can never have too much documentation for an accident claim.

To recover compensation for all expenses, you must prove that you incurred those expenses. Therefore, remember to:

  • Keep copies of all invoices, bills, and receipts for any expense related to the accident. This includes over-the-counter medications, medical supplies, and medical bills.
  • Carefully document your mileage to and from doctor’s appointments and other appointments related to your recovery. List the date, the time, the beginning and ending mileage, the address of the destination, and the reason for the trip. You might be able to recover reimbursement for your travel expenses.
  • If you pay a company or individual for services such as housecleaning, yard work, or other services because you are unable to perform the work yourself because of your injuries, document the expenses for your accident claim.
  • If in doubt, document the expenses or loss. It is better to document uncovered expenses than not to have documentation for an expense that could be included in your injury claim.
  • If you are out of work because of the accident, ask your employer to provide a statement certifying your income. Your attorney will work with you to obtain further documentation of all lost income when it is time to file your demand for settlement.

To make it easy to keep up with your receipts, invoices, and other documentation, it is often helpful to store the items in a pocket notebook or file folder. You can have separate sections in the notebook or multiple file folders to organize your documentation by category.

Documenting Non-Economic Damages

In addition to being reimbursed for your financial damages or out-of-pocket losses, you are also entitled to include non-economic damages in your accident claim. Non-economic damages are often referred to as “pain and suffering” damages and include:

  • Physical pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Emotional stress
  • Scarring
  • Disfigurement
  • Permanent disability
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Loss of consortium (intimate relations)

Documenting pain and suffering damages can be more difficult. It can help to keep a journal detailing your recovery.  Include information about your pain level each day, the things that you cannot do because of your injury, and how your injury impacts your relationship with family and friends. Your attorney will work with you to file a claim that maximizes your chance of recovering the most money for your pain and suffering claim.

Do You Need a New Orleans Car Accident Attorney?

For a free case evaluation, contact Attorney Fred Olinde of The Olinde Firm by calling (504) 587-1440 or 1-800-587-1889 to request a free consultation with a New Orleans accident attorney. The insurance company for the other driver will have a team of professionals working to protect the company’s best interest. You deserve to have a team like ours fighting for your right to receive a fair and just settlement for your accident claim.