What to do After You’re Physically Hurt due to Someone Else’s Actions

Most of us hurt ourselves periodically on accident, stubbing our toe on a table leg, or tripping on the last stair of the staircase. In a best-case scenario, you’ll experience a moment of pain, then move on with your life, but you could easily end up in a hospital as a result of your injuries. At the end of the day, your health insurance policy will take care of a good chunk of the bills, and you’ll be responsible for paying the rest.

But what happens if you experience a devastating personal injury due to someone else’s actions? It’s not fair for you to shoulder the burden of paying your medical bills if they were someone else’s fault. But what can you do?

The best and simplest advice is to get legal advice from an attorney who has experience in personal injury cases, but there are a few important steps you should take first.

Types of Personal Injury Cases

There are many scenarios that could result in a possible personal injury case, including, but not limited to:

• If someone directly assaults you for any reason, they’ll likely be held liable for damages that result from their attack.

• Car accidents. The person or people at fault for a car accident will be responsible for any injuries that result from the accident.

• Dog bites. Dog and other pet owners are responsible for their pets’ behaviors, so if you’re bitten by an off-leash or uncontrolled dog, the owner can be held liable for your injuries.

• Premises liability issues. Certain premises are responsible for maintaining a safe environment; for example, business owners (and oftentimes, homeowners) must keep sidewalks free of ice in the winter. If you slip and fall, they could be held responsible.

• Product liability issues. Poorly designed or manufactured products could also be the basis for a personal injury claim.

Step One: Clear the Area

If you’re personally injured, your first job should be clearing the area and preventing any further injuries to you or the other people nearby. For example, if you’re involved in a car accident, you and the other driver should get to the side of the road, if possible, as soon as you can, clearing the road of obstacles that could lead to further crashes. If you were hurt by a piece of defective equipment, turn it off and make sure other people can’t use it.

Step Two: Get Medical Attention

Next, you’ll want to get immediate medical attention. Depending on the severity of the injury, you may be fine sitting down and applying first aid yourself, or you may need to go to an urgent care facility or a hospital. Either way, it’s important for you to start addressing the problem as soon as possible.

Additionally, you’ll need to follow any and all medical advice for how to treat your injury in the future. For example, you may need to take certain medications, undergo physical therapy, and/or attend follow-up appointments with specialists. Follow through with these, even if they cost you money, and keep all your receipts; you’ll need these to get compensated later.

Step Three: Gather Evidence

If possible, try to gather evidence onsite. Depending on the nature of the injury, you may be afforded the opportunity to take photos and video, jot down a short sequence of events leading up to the incident, and/or gather security footage. You may also be able to talk to witnesses of the event; write down their names and get their version of the story. The more evidence you have, the better your future case will be.

Also, if you were involved in a car accident, assault, or other crime, it’s important to file an official police report. This will serve as the canonical version of events moving forward.

Step Four: Contact a Lawyer

Once you’re safe, beginning treatment, and with at least some evidence on hand, you’ll want to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible. Lawyers will be able to provide you with further direction and advice, with years of legal expertise backing them. They will help you understand your chances of winning a personal injury case, review the evidence with you, and help you build a case with the highest possible odds of success. If you decide to work with a lawyer, be sure to take their advice seriously, and follow it as closely as possible.

Being personally injured as a result of someone else’s negligence can be both physically and psychologically painful, but with a good lawyer on your side, there’s a way to get the compensation you deserve. Make sure you take good care of your physical health, and consult an attorney if you feel there’s a case to bring against the person who wronged you.