If you have suffered an injury due to the negligent actions or inactions of a third party, you could be eligible for compensation. However, you may be wondering what evidence is needed for a personal injury claim. Having sufficient supporting evidence that demonstrates what injuries you suffered, their severity, how they were suffered, and who was liable for them will give you a better chance of having a successful claim. Additionally, medical evidence and documentation of your financial losses will help ensure that you receive the maximum compensation you deserve.
You don’t need to worry about gathering evidence alone. Here at How To Sue, one of the excellent personal injury solicitors on our panel could help you with gathering the supporting evidence needed for your specific case. They have years of experience working on a variety of claims, such as those for accidents at work, in public places, and on the roads.
Contact our advisors today to discuss your case and see if they can help you get started with the claims process.
We are here to help you
Here at How To Sue, our expert advisors are on hand 24 hours a day 7 days a week to assess your compensation claim. Should you require free legal advice we can connect you to a specialist solicitor.
Jump To A Section
- Accident Details
- Videos And Photographs
- Medical History
- Witness Information
- Proof Of Financial Loss
- Official Reports
- Do I Need To Gather All The Evidence Before Pursuing A Claim?
- How Can A Solicitor Help Me Obtain The Evidence?
- Get Help From How To Sue’s Panel Of Solicitors
- Learn More
Accident Details
You will want to note down the details of the accident to be used as evidence in your personal injury claim. This can include:
- The date the accident took place (this will also help ensure your claim is made within the limitation period)
- Where the accident took place, such as in the workplace, at a café, or on the road
- Details about the accident, such as an account of how you were hit by a drink driver who ran a red light
- What happened after the accident, like whether you attended A&E for your injuries
Noting all this down as soon as possible after your accident will help ensure the memories remain fresh and you don’t overlook any important details.
Additionally, if you have been involved in a road traffic accident, you should record the contact details, vehicle registration, and insurance information of any other drivers involved.
Continue reading to learn more about other types of evidence needed for a personal injury claim. You can also contact our advisors to receive free advice for your case.
Videos And Photographs
You should also acquire or take any videos or photographs of the accident scene. For example, you could obtain CCTV or dashcam footage of the accident to help support your version of events.
Additionally, you can take photographs of the following in the aftermath of an accident:
- The accident scene
- Hazardous conditions, whether trailing cable wires, an unmarked spillage, or a pothole
- Damage to your vehicle or personal belongings
- Visible injuries, such as cuts, lacerations, and swelling
If you are unable to take these pictures yourself due to your injuries, you could ask someone else to take them on your behalf.
Contact our advisors today to discuss what specific evidence could be used to support your claim.
Medical History
Following any accident, you should ensure your injuries get treated, and the medical history created could be used to support your claim. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may attend A&E or book a GP appointment. Your medical records can help with proving:
- You sought medical attention for your injuries
- What injuries you suffered and their severity
- What treatments you required for your injuries
- Test or scan results
- Additional follow-up appointments you needed to attend due to your injuries
Having sufficient medical evidence can help prove the extent of the physical and psychological harm you suffered, and help your solicitor accurately value your claim for general damages. This is the part of a compensation payout which covers your injuries.
Contact our advisors today to receive a free valuation of how much compensation you may be eligible to receive for your injuries and what evidence is needed for a personal injury claim.
We are here to help you
Here at How To Sue, our expert advisors are on hand 24 hours a day 7 days a week to assess your compensation claim. Should you require free legal advice we can connect you to a specialist solicitor.
Witness Information
Noting down any witness’s contact information can be invaluable during the claims process, as they can provide statements to a legal professional that could support your version of events. You should note down:
- Their full name
- Their phone number, email address, or other contact details
- Who are they in relation to the accident, e.g., a colleague, a passerby, or a fellow customer in a shop
It is important to note that you cannot take these statements yourself; only a legal professional can. Therefore, if you note down their contact information, you can pass this on to the solicitor working on your claim so they can obtain these statements for you.
Contact our advisors today to see how a solicitor from our panel could help you with gathering the evidence needed for a personal injury claim, including witness statements.
Proof Of Financial Loss
If your injuries have caused you to suffer financial losses, you should gather proof of these so that you are able to claim compensation for them under special damages as part of your settlement. Examples of financial losses you could suffer and the evidence you could gather for them include:
- Payslips to prove any loss of earnings.
- Invoices for professional care costs, therapy fees, or medical expenses
- Receipts for prescriptions or mobility equipment
- Travel tickets or receipts for taxi and bus fares to medical appointments
Without evidence of these costs, you may not be able to claim them back. A solicitor can help ensure that all your financial losses are covered in your claim and that you have sufficient evidence to prove them. Contact our advisors to see if an expert solicitor from our panel could help you.
Official Reports
Official reports could also help support your claim by clearly detailing what happened. Examples could include:
- The report from the workplace accident book should contain information about the incident, what happened, and when it took place. If you are unable to complete this, a colleague could do so on your behalf.
- The report from a public place accident book, if the incident happened in a supermarket, shop, restaurant, or similar space. This exists to record any accidents suffered by visitors.
- Police reports if officers attended the scene of the accident, such as a car crash.
- Reports created by paramedics who responded to the accident, for example.
All of these reports could be used as evidence in your claim. Contact our advisors to learn more about what evidence is needed for a personal injury claim and how a solicitor from our panel could help you gather it.
Do I Need To Gather All The Evidence Before Pursuing A Claim?
You don’t have to gather all the evidence needed for a personal injury claim before pursuing one. In certain instances, this won’t be possible. For example, witness statements can only be taken by a legal professional and therefore cannot be gathered until the claims process is underway.
It is best to get the claiming process started as soon as possible, and you can gather any additional evidence you may need along the way, such as requesting CCTV footage of yourself and obtaining copies of official reports. Additionally, by working with a solicitor, they can help you with gathering evidence for your claim, ensuring that nothing is missed or forgotten.
Contact our advisors today to see how a solicitor from our panel could help you with gathering evidence to support your claim.
How Can A Solicitor Help Me Obtain The Evidence?
A solicitor can help you obtain the evidence you need for your personal injury claim by identifying what evidence is relevant, collecting witness statements, and instructing experts. Below, we explain these in more depth:
- Identify relevant evidence: A solicitor can use their knowledge and experience to determine exactly what proof is needed to support your claim and identify any gaps in the evidence you already have.
- Collecting witness statements: They can contact the witnesses you have provided to conduct interviews and obtain formal, detailed statements that could be used in the claiming process.
- Instructing experts: Solicitors can engage expert medical professionals to provide an independent examination that can be used to strengthen your claim further.
- Managing the evidence: Once obtained, your solicitor will examine, organise, and check all evidence for accuracy and relevance, building a comprehensive case on your behalf.
Continue reading to learn more about how a solicitor from our panel could help you with gathering the evidence needed for a personal injury claim. You can also contact our advisors to discuss your case.
Get Help From How To Sue’s Panel Of Solicitors
You can get help from How To Sue’s panel of solicitors with gathering the evidence needed for your personal injury claim. Our panel have years of experience working on a variety of compensation claims, and in addition to helping you gather evidence, they can:
- Handle all communication with the defending party
- Ensure your compensation settlement covers your physical, psychological and financial harm
- Organise any rehabilitation or physiotherapy you may need to aid in your recovery
- Make sure your claim is started within the 3-year time limit
- Arrange for a suitable barrister if your claim were to go to court (though you do not need to worry, as most cases are settled without the need for court intervention)
Additionally, they can offer these services to you on a No Win No Fee basis under a Conditional Fee Agreement. This means you will not need to pay for their services prior to the process starting, while it is underway, or if the claim fails.
You will need to pay them a success fee should your personal injury claim have a favourable outcome. This is a legally limited percentage deducted from your compensation.
Contact Our Advisors
Contact our advisors today to learn what evidence is needed for your personal injury claim and whether a solicitor from our panel could help you:
- Call on 0800 408 7827
- Contact us online
- Use our live chat
Learn More
Learn more about the other types of personal injury claims our panel of solicitors could help with:
- Learn how to sue for a cycling accident
- Guidance on claiming for emotional distress
- Advice on claiming for a brain injury
External resources:
- Learn how to request CCTV footage of yourself
- Guidance on getting copies of your medical records from the NHS
- Learn when to report a workplace incident via the Health and Safety Executive
If you are still unsure what evidence is needed for a personal injury claim, you can contact our advisors.