The aftermath of a motorcycle accident can be physically, emotionally, and financially challenging. You should keep a journal after your Fort Myers motorcycle accident to track crucial information in all three areas. If a Fort Myers motorcycle accident lawyer represents you, they will build a strong evidence file that includes your journal.
Journaling after a motorcycle accident can ensure you capture essential memories and details of the accident, injuries, and recovery. It can also help you track expenses and losses and document the accident’s impact on you, your family, and your life and lifestyle. A lawyer can help by collecting additional evidence that supports your compensation request. Most law firms offer a free consultation to help you get started.
A Journal Can Strengthen Your Motorcycle Accident Case
Since neither party’s representatives were present at the accident scene, they must rely on evidence to reconstruct the collision.
You do not have to take on the at-fault driver and their insurance company without legal support. A lawyer will represent you on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing upfront. It also allows you to secure legal representation immediately, with payment only required if your lawyer recovers compensation for you. Plus, you will owe no fees at all if you do not get financial compensation.
Record Your Accident Memories In Your Journal As Soon As Possible
Document key details of the accident, including information about what you were doing before the accident and your immediate memories after the accident. Write down everything you can recall since details that might seem small or insignificant to you can be of great value to your legal team.
Also, start journaling as soon as possible to ensure your memories get captured while they are vivid. When your lawyer interviews accident eyewitnesses, they will follow this same guideline.
Document Your Recovery Journey For Your Motorcycle Accident Case
Because you were largely unprotected from the force of the impact of the accident, you could sustain severe injuries that require long-term care and recovery. Your medical records and bills will detail the cost of your treatment. Your journal can track the following:
- The diagnostic tests and procedures you undergo
- The treatments you endure on the road to recovery
In addition, you can document the challenges of your treatment process and the toll they take on you physically, mentally, and emotionally. Journaling can help you cope with the accident’s emotional aftermath. This information can help your attorney document the value of the pain, suffering, and inconvenience portion of your recoverable damages.
A Motorcycle Accident Attorney Will Collect Additional Evidence To Establish Fault
While your journal can share many details about the accident, the at-fault driver’s legal and insurance company representatives will also demand concrete evidence. To prove the cause and contributing factors that led to the collision, your legal team will also collect the following:
- Police report: The official accident report will contain identification and contact details, police-generated photos and videos, and notes and diagrams from the investigating officer.
- Official reports: These can include fire department and emergency medical first responder reports, describing your injuries and immediate medical needs.
- Medical records: These will describe your ongoing medical needs, necessary rehabilitation and therapy, and a prognosis for future care.
- Witness statements: Lay witnesses will describe the accident scene from varying points of view. Medical experts will describe your injuries and what you can expect from the recovery process.
Your lawyer will compile all the evidence you need and assemble it into an organized case file. This file will be submitted with a settlement demand letter to the insurance company, documenting your recoverable damages.
Your Lawyer Will Compile Financial Evidence To Support Your Claim
A portion of your accumulated evidence will include evidence of its value. It will contain medical, rehabilitation, and therapy bills from every treatment professional and facility where you received treatment. It will also contain employment and salary history records and proof of the costs of repairing or replacing your damaged or destroyed bike.
A Lawyer Will Collect Financial Records For Your Motorcycle Accident Claim
Your journal will help document the long-term impact of your accident. The at-fault driver’s insurance company will request bills, receipts, and other financial documents that support your compensation request.
The motorcycle accident damages you can recover include:
- Injury-related medical bills
- Injury-related lost income
- Loss of future earning ability
- Property damage or loss
- Diminished property value
- Disfigurement or impairment
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental and emotional anguish
- Wrongful death damages, if applicable
You can also request compensation for your loss of enjoyment of life—the impact of the accident on your ability to engage in previously enjoyed activities. Your daily journal can describe your feelings about the limitations imposed on you by your disabling or disfiguring accident injuries.
Understanding Florida’s Deadline For Filing A Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit
There is a limited timeframe to file your motorcycle accident lawsuit in Florida. In general, the statute of limitations allows:
- Two years from the date of the accident to file your personal injury lawsuit, according to Florida Statutes § 95.11(5)(a).
- Two years from the date of a loved one’s demise to file your wrongful death lawsuit, according to Florida Statutes § 95.11(5)(e).
After the accident, your lawyer will collect dated documents (medical records, bills, and official reports) to support compliance with the statutory filing deadline. The dates and descriptions in your journal can support them.
Get A Free Review Of Your Fort Myers Motorcycle Accident Claim
If you or a loved one was injured, or a loved one was fatally injured, in a recent motorcycle accident, our law firm will help you get monetary compensation. We will help you decide if you should keep a journal after a Fort Myers motorcycle accident and describe the evidence we collect on your behalf.
Learn more by contacting our consultation team at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine today.
