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If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident in Florida, you may be entitled to financial compensation for all of the costs (both present and future) of the accident. Negligent drivers can be held liable for pedestrian accidents in a wide range of circumstances, and injured pedestrians are entitled to proper compensation for all of their costs under Florida law. If this scenario sounds similar to your situation, you are encouraged to hire a Fort Myers pedestrian injury attorney at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. to represent you on a contingency fee basis.

When you hire a Fort Myers pedestrian injury attorney to represent you, your attorney will fight to recover full compensation on your behalf. To strengthen your case, you can take the following steps to document the costs you have incurred.

10 Steps to Document the Costs of a Pedestrian Accident

What can (and should) you do to document the costs of a pedestrian accident? Here are 10 examples of steps you can take to help your attorney prove the costs you are entitled to recover:

1. Seek Treatment for Your Injuries Right Away

First and foremost, you should seek treatment for your injuries right away (if you have not done so already). This is critical for several reasons. Not only will it help with proving that you suffered your injuries in the accident, but it will also help with proving your medical costs and the other costs resulting from the accident. Be sure to tell your doctor about your accident and describe your symptoms as thoroughly as possible.

2. Follow Your Doctor’s Advice (or Seek a Second Opinion if Necessary)

After seeking initial treatment, you should continue to follow your doctor’s advice throughout the recovery process (or seek a second opinion if necessary). For medical reasons, it is important to follow your doctor’s advice.., Also, if you don’t follow your doctor’s advice (i.e. if you skip follow-up appointments or choose not to undergo a recommended procedure), the insurance companies may try to use this to argue that any future costs are a result of your decision not to seek care instead of being a result of the accident.

3. Keep Your Medical Records and Bills

Along with seeking treatment and following your doctor’s advice, you should also keep copies of your medical records and bills. If you do not have all of them, that is okay—your attorney can obtain copies for you—but keeping copies whenever you can will make the process of calculating your losses easier. This is true not only with regard to calculating your out-of-pocket medical costs but also with regard to calculating the other costs of your injuries.

4. Keep Your Receipts

Similarly, as you incur costs for prescriptions, medical supplies, transportation, and other necessary items and services, you should keep your receipts when possible. Of course, if you buy online, you will have electronic order confirmations instead. Only you know what you are buying, so it is important that you keep track of all of the costs you may be entitled to recover. Keeping a running list of your accident-related expenses can be helpful as well.

5. Keep Your Employment Records

If you miss time from work as a result of your pedestrian accident, you should also keep copies of your employment records. Depending on what you do for work and the nature of your employment, these may include pay stubs, time sheets, and various other forms of employment-related documentation. If possible, you should locate your pay stubs and income tax records from before the accident, as these will assist with proving how much you were earning before the accident occurred.

6. Attend All of Your Appointments

As you work to move on from your pedestrian accident, you may need to attend appointments with physical therapists, occupational therapists, and various other providers. You should be sure to attend all of these appointments (or reschedule promptly if necessary), as this will be important for proving the long-term costs of your accident-related injuries as well.

7. Create a List of Your Providers

Another step you can take to assist with documenting the costs of your pedestrian accident is to create a list of your healthcare providers. This way, even if you do not have copies of all of your medical records and medical bills, you can make sure that your Fort Myers pedestrian injury attorney at Spivey Law Firm knows who to contact when calculating the value of your claim.

8. Document Your Daily Pain Levels

In addition to taking steps to document the financial costs of your pedestrian accident, you should also document the non-financial costs of the accident. This includes documenting your daily pain levels. If you have a pedestrian accident claim, you are entitled to proper compensation for your pain and suffering—and keeping track of your daily pain levels is one way you can help your attorney prove how much you deserve to recover.

9. Document Activities and Events You Miss

Along with documenting your daily pain levels, you should also document any activities and events you miss as a result of your injuries. Whether you miss an activity or event because you are physically unable to participate, because you are in too much pain, or because you are struggling with anxiety or depression, these are also “non-financial costs” for which you may be entitled to financial compensation.

10. Take Photos Throughout the Recovery Process

Another effective way to document the financial and non-financial costs of your pedestrian accident is to take photos throughout the recovery process. Take photos of your appointment reminders, bandages, and injuries. Your Fort Myers pedestrian injury attorney will be able to use all of these photos to help document the losses you are entitled to recover.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Fort Myers Pedestrian Injury Attorney Today  

As a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is one of only 1% of the Florida attorneys that are Board Certified in Civil Trial Law. He is proven to be a specialist or expert in Civil Trial Law. Attorney Randall L. Spivey is also a Preeminent Attorney ranked with Martindale-Hubbell, which is the highest rating standard, signifying the top ranking for legal knowledge, communication skills, and ethical standards.

The entire team at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. will provide personal attention to each client and devote whatever resources are necessary to help our clients to obtain maximum compensation. Contact us today for a free consultation. We work on a contingency fee basis, and there are no attorney’s fees or costs until you receive a financial recovery.  

If you need help after a pedestrian accident in Florida, we strongly encourage you to contact our office for more information. To schedule a free consultation with Fort Myers personal injury attorney Randall L. Spivey at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., call us at 239-337-7483, toll-free at 888-477-4839, or tell us how we can reach you online at SpiveyLaw.com today.