If you have a personal injury case on your hands it may be a stressful and overwhelming time, and things can get even more complicated when trying to prove invisible injuries. However, invisible injuries can be just as damaging as visible ones. In most states, you must prove that you are injured, so it is important to know how to record the information needed for evidence.
What Is An Invisible Injury?
Invisible injuries can be a variety of different things, and some may fit into different categories. Here a few of the most common types:
- Traumatic brain injury: A TBI is one of the most common types of invisible injuries, and can include a concussion, spinal cord injury, cognitive impairment, or short term memory loss.
- Soft tissue injury: These injuries often include muscle sprains or strains. They are usually hard to find with the naked eye, but can lead to further medical issues that may have been less likely to happen if the injury did not occur first.
- Psychological Injuries: The accident itself can create emotional injuries. A victim can experience mood changes, PTSD, distress, sadness, anger, anxiety, depression or more.
Seek Medical Treatment
The smartest thing to do after being in a personal injury accident is to seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Even if you think you are fine it is important to get checked out. It is crucial that you save all documents and receipts from medical visits. Any diagnoses can be used in court. A medical expert can also be hired to provide testimony of the extent of your injuries. Lastly, ensure you follow through with what the doctor recommends or else it could affect your case.
Find Witnesses
If possible, try to find witnesses that were there at the time of the scene. If you record their contact information you can ask if they would be willing to provide a statement about what they saw. If there are camera’s anywhere in the vicinity, reach out to the owners to see if you can acquire the footage.
Hire A Personal Injury Attorney
You may not always need a lawyer, however, when invisible injuries are involved it does get more complicated. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you gather evidence needed to prove your case. They can help advise you on the best course of action to take and ensure insurance companies do not take advantage of you. A legal process can be daunting, but the outcome may be worth it.
Do I Even Have A Case?
You may not know if you have a case on your hands. There are a couple of things you want to research first. Depending what state the accident accorded in, find out what the statute of limitations on personal injury cases are. This is the amount of time you have from the day of the accident until the last day you can file. The types of damages eligible to recover are economic, non-economic and punitive. Often, law offices will give a free consultation to see if your case is able to file. It may not hurt to find out just in case you are able to receive the compensation you deserve.