How do I document my injuries after an accident?

August 3, 2026

Admin

Documentation is the foundation of every personal injury claim. The strength of your documentation directly affects the value of your case. Here is exactly how to build it from day one.

Start photographing immediately and keep going.

Begin photographing every visible injury the same day as the accident. Bruising, swelling, lacerations, and abrasions change significantly in the days following a collision — photographs taken immediately after the accident, the next day, and every few days through the early stages of recovery create a visual timeline that is among the most compelling evidence in a personal injury claim.

See a doctor and be complete.

Tell your treating physician every symptom you are experiencing — even those that feel minor. A headache. Neck tension. Back stiffness. Difficulty sleeping. Cognitive fog. Document every symptom, every limitation, and every way the injury has affected your daily life at each appointment. The medical record created by your treating physician is the primary evidence connecting your injuries to the accident.

Keep a personal injury journal.

Write a brief daily entry describing your pain levels, your limitations, and how the injury affected your ability to work, sleep, care for your family, and move through daily life. This journal becomes evidence of the non-economic damages — pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life — that are compensable under California law and that no medical record fully captures.

Save everything.

Every medical bill. Every prescription receipt. Every mileage record from trips to medical appointments. Every piece of correspondence from the insurance company. Every missed work record. Every communication related to the accident. Organize these documents and keep them in one place.

Call Cohn & Swartzon LLP.From the moment we are retained, we manage the documentation process alongside you — identifying what is needed, requesting records, and ensuring that everything required to build the full picture of what this accident cost you is in place before any negotiation begins. Call 888-480-3883. Our team is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week at legalhelp123.com. The consultation is always free.