If you have been injured due to the negligence of another party, you may be entitled to receive compensation. In the event of an injury, you will want to reach out to a skilled personal injury attorney. A good way to help your attorney with your case is to keep a pain, symptom, and treatment diary. Read on to learn more about pain, symptom, and treatment diaries and what you should do in the event of an injury.
What is a Pain, Symptom, and Treatment Diary?
A pain, symptom, and treatment diary is a way to keep track of the symptoms you experience as a result of your injury. This may take the form of a traditional hand-written diary, a typed document, a detailed calendar, or a spreadsheet. You should choose the option that works best for you when it comes to organizing your thoughts and feelings.
Why Should I Keep One?
When you are injured, you can present your medical bills, which quantify your financial burdens. But there is a lot more to an injury than the financials of it. An injury can take a major mental, emotional, and of course, physical toll. You deserve compensation for these issues as well, but they can be difficult to quantify. A pain, symptom, and treatment diary can help keep track of these things and help quantify the other aspects of your injury. Additionally, it can be a great aid to refer back to during your trial.
What Should I Put in it?
The most important thing to remember about your pain, symptom, and treatment diary is to be honest. You should not lie or exaggerate, seeing as this can diminish your credibility and cause questioning in regards to the validity of your injury and the extent of it. But, you should be descriptive when it comes to your symptoms. For example, what hurts, where, and how badly? You can rate your pain on a scale of 1-10. A good thing to do is to discuss the impacts it has had on your day to day life. For example, if your pain was so severe that you had to cancel plans, you should note that. It is also a good place to keep track of your doctor’s appointments and meetings with your attorney. Having a detailed description of your life post-injury is an important piece of evidence that can aid your attorney in defending your case.
CONTACT OUR FIRM
When someone is wrongly injured in an accident, they often require financial compensation to heal. That’s where we come in. Contact the Law Offices of Brian J. O’Grady today to learn more about what our firm can do for you.
