Do You Need to Have a Serious Injury to File a Personal Injury Claim in Doylestown?

If you’ve been injured in an accident in Doylestown, do you have a personal injury claim? If so, is filing a personal injury claim worth it? While these are extremely important questions, they do not have simple or straightforward answers. Answering these questions requires an assessment of your specific circumstances, and this requires the advice and insights of an experienced Doylestown injury lawyer.

When it comes to deciding whether it is worth filing a personal injury claim, a key factor is the severity of your injuries. While there isn’t a specific “seriousness” threshold for filing a personal injury claim in Pennsylvania, the amount you are entitled to recover depends heavily on the extent of the physical and psychological trauma you have endured.

Common “Serious” Injuries from Vehicle Collisions, Falls and Other Accidents

Many types of accident-related injuries can generally be classified as “serious.” Although there isn’t a precise definition, an injury can generally be considered serious if it has the potential to cause significant pain and suffering, a long-term disability and/or other consequences that negatively impact your day-to-day life. With this in mind, some common examples of “serious” injuries from vehicle collisions, falls and other accidents include:

• Bone fractures and dislocations
• Burns
• Eye and ear injuries
• Facial injuries (including nose and jaw injuries)
• Internal injuries (including internal bleeding and organ damage)
• Neck injuries
• Nerve injuries
• Soft tissue tears
• Spinal cord injuries (SCI)
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)

Again, these are just examples. Ultimately, if you suffer an accident-related injury that requires medical attention, it will most likely be worth talking to a Doylestown injury lawyer about your legal rights. This costs you nothing, and if you decide that filing a personal injury claim is worth it, you will need to have an experienced lawyer who is prepared to fight for just compensation on your behalf.

Calculating the Long-Term Costs of an Accident-Related Injury

After an accident in Doylestown, assessing the severity of your injuries and assessing your legal rights go hand-in-hand. As we said above, the severity of your injuries will be a key factor in deciding whether it makes sense to file a personal injury lawsuit. This is because filing a personal injury claim involves seeking just compensation for your:

• Medical bills
• Prescription and medical supply costs
• Other out-of-pocket costs
• Loss of income
• Loss of benefits
• Loss of future earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Loss of consortium and companionship
• Loss of enjoyment of life

All of these financial and non-financial costs are directly related to your injuries—and the amount you are entitled to recover is directly related to your injuries’ severity.

This raises another important point: There is no such thing as a “standard” personal injury claim. Everyone’s circumstances are different, and individual circumstances play a central role in determining accident victims’ legal rights. Generally speaking, the more severe your accident-related injuries are, the more you will be entitled to recover.

Documenting the Severity of Your Injuries for Your Personal Injury Claim

From deciding whether to take legal action to deciding when (and if) to settle, the severity of your injuries will play a central role in several aspects of your personal injury claim. With this in mind, documenting the severity of your injuries will be extremely important. Some of the steps you can take to document the severity of your injuries include:

1. Start Collecting Your Medical Records (and Bills)

Your medical records will be key evidence of your injuries’ severity. If you have not done so already, you should see a doctor right away. Whether you receive paper copies of your medical records or you have access to your medical records through an online account, you should start collecting copies to discuss with your Doylestown injury lawyer.

You should also start collecting your medical bills. Whether you pay, your health insurance company pays, or you don’t have a way to cover the costs of your diagnosis and treatment, these will serve as key evidence in your personal injury claim as well.

2. Keep Track of the Other Financial Costs and Losses You Incur

Along with keeping track of your medical bills, you should keep track of your other financial costs and losses as well. If you incur any costs or suffer any loss of income as a result of your injuries, these are damages that you will want to consider when deciding whether it is worth taking legal action.  

3. Take Detailed Notes About Your Injuries’ Effects on a Daily Basis

In addition to collecting documentation of your out-of-pocket costs, you should also create documentation of your injuries’ daily effects. If you take detailed notes about your pain levels, events and activities you are forced to miss, and any other non-financial consequences of your injuries, this will assist your lawyer with evaluating your personal injury claim as well.

Once you hire a Doylestown injury lawyer to represent you, your lawyer will be able to assist with gathering all of the additional documentation needed to prove your legal rights. This may involve talking to your doctors and other medical experts, talking to financial experts, and working with you to understand and document all of the ways your injuries negatively impact your day-to-day life. While it can take time and effort to determine the value of your personal injury claim, the time and effort you put in will be well worth it if they help you recover the financial compensation you deserve.

Do You Have a Claim? Contact Us for a Free Consultation with a Doylestown Injury Lawyer

Are you struggling to cope with the financial and non-financial consequences of an accident-related injury? If so, we invite you to contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation at Drake, Hileman & Davis, PC. To discuss your situation with an experienced Doylestown injury lawyer in confidence as soon as possible, please call 888-777-7098 or tell us how we can get in touch online today.