Lots of people have trouble keeping track of bill stubs, receipts, and/or insurance statements on a regular basis. It only gets harder after an auto accident and the bills start to pour in. But in my twenty plus years as an accident attorney in Philadelphia, I’ve found that clients who keep organized records have a much smoother path to compensation than those who don’t.
In this post, I’ll detail the most important records to look out for if you’ve been injured in an auto accident. I’ll also explain why keeping your records straight is such a good idea.
What Records to Keep
If you’re a Philadelphia-area resident who’s been in an auto accident and you believe the other party is at fault, there is a series of tasks to perform both immediately after the incident and in the days that follow. In addition to doing these tasks, you need to keep the documentation involved. Here’s a table that details the most important records:
|
Document |
Examples |
| Photos of the accident scene | Cell phone camera shots |
| Photos of vehicle damage | |
| Police report | |
| The other party’s information | Driver’s license, insurance, and contact details |
| Emergency medical service records | Private ambulance or paramedic company |
| Hospital bills | Treating physician records, x-rays |
| Proof of car’s pre-accident value | Purchase receipt, maintenance records |
| Proof of income | Work leave requests, tip records, paycheck stubs, direct deposit records |
| Subsequent medical bills to treat the accident injury | Mental therapy, physical therapy, chiropractic care, medication |
| Your child’s (children’s) missed school days | |
| Insurance co-payments | |
| Property damage | Broken cell phones, damaged cargo |
| Receipts for purchases made in connection with your injury or recovery | Rental car expenses; travel expenses to see a medical specialist; drug store receipts for aches and pains treatment |
This list contains the most common examples, but there may be other expenses to document. The basic rule is to save any/all expense documentation involving your accident injury.
One important tip: make copies of all records. It may increase your paper pile, relying only on originals risks the loss of potentially important documentation. The best practice is to keep the originals and offer the copies to the insurance company.
Why Record Keeping is Important
Time delays: The lawsuit process is slow enough to begin with, but major delays will result if you have to gather this information in the build-up before filing a claim.
Case Strength: Any documentation that slips through your fingers damages your case dramatically. It’s one thing to claim a financial loss due to an injury resulting from the accident; it’s another to supply a list of before-and-after bank statements that show a severe drop in income.
Protection from Insurance Adjuster Tactics: Insurance companies are businesses first and foremost. This means the at-fault party’s insurance will try to settle for as little as possible as fast as they possibly can. By having your records in order, you’ll have a better idea of what the accident has cost you so you’ll be better prepared to avoid their quick settlement tactics.
Summary
The purpose of this post isn’t to overload your file cabinet. It does, however, seek to demonstrate all the different angles involved in an auto accident claim. Organized record keeping is a major part of not only proving your loss but also of improving your chances of a fast, fair, compensation settlement.
If you live in the Philadelphia area and have been involved in a car accident through no fault of your own, my law firm can help you recover fully from any injuries you’ve suffered. Call (267) 627-4JOE (267-627-4563) or visit www.joemitchellattorney.com to schedule your free initial consultation.
