3 min read
I give every client the same advice in an injury case: get an accordion folder.
It sounds basic, but having one organized place for all your case documents makes a real difference. Not just for building your case, but also for managing your recovery.
Here's what you need to know about documenting your injury, keeping records, and helping your doctors (and your attorney) do their best work for you.
Why Documentation Matters
If you've never been through this before, you might wonder what information actually matters.
The truth is, it's not your job to sort out what's important and what isn't. That's my job. Your job is to focus on recovery while keeping track of how the injury affects your life.
Good documentation helps in three ways:
- Your doctors get better information. When you track symptoms between appointments, you give your doctor a complete picture. That leads to more accurate diagnoses and more appropriate treatment.
- Your case gets stronger. The evidence we build together tells your story. When we can show exactly how the injury affected your daily life, we're in a much better position during negotiations or at trial.
- You remember what happened. Most of us don't have photographic memories. As time passes, you'll forget details. Written records preserve those details when we need them.
What to Keep in Your Folder
Keep anything and everything related to your case. Seriously—keep it all.
That includes:
- Letters from attorneys
- Bills from medical providers
- Communication from insurance companies
- Diagnostic reports and test results
- Prescription information
- Physical therapy notes
Don't throw anything away. Frankly, keep these documents for the rest of your life. You never know when something might come up years later.
Having one designated place means you won't lose important documents or spend time searching when you need something.
How to Track Your Symptoms
For certain injuries, especially invisible ones like concussions or traumatic brain injuries, daily symptom tracking is essential.
You don't need a fancy system. Use whatever works for you: a notebook, a notes app on your phone, typed emails you send to yourself. Just do it consistently.
Track these things:
- Physical symptoms. Pain levels, headaches, dizziness, numbness, range of motion limitations. Note when symptoms flare up and what you were doing when it happened.
- Cognitive changes. Memory issues, difficulty concentrating, confusion, sleep problems.
- Emotional impacts. Frustration, anxiety, depression, changes in mood or personality.
- Daily life disruptions. Activities you can't do anymore, things that take longer, help you need from others.
If you have a condition where symptoms fluctuate—pain that comes and goes, skin discoloration that appears sometimes—take photos with your phone. Those time-stamped images give us concrete evidence of what you're experiencing.
Bring Your Records to Doctor Appointments
This is important: bring your symptom journal to every medical appointment.
When your doctor asks "How are you doing?" they mean right now, in front of them. But they also need to know what happened between appointments.
That historical perspective helps doctors:
- Make more accurate diagnoses
- Order appropriate diagnostic tests
- Recommend the right therapy or treatment
- Understand patterns they wouldn't otherwise see
Some symptoms signal the need for different specialists or different approaches to care. If you don't mention those symptoms—or if you can't remember them when your doctor asks—you miss opportunities for better treatment.
Be Honest About How You're Doing
I need to address two extremes I see with clients.
Some people downplay symptoms. You've worked hard your whole life. You've overcome adversity. You don't want to seem like you're complaining or exaggerating.
I get it. But downplaying symptoms does you a disservice.
Your doctors can't help you if they don't know what you're experiencing. And later, if you didn't communicate these issues early, it becomes much harder to get appropriate care.
The work ethic that got you this far should now apply to your recovery. Being honest about symptoms isn't wallowing in misery—it's being committed to getting better.
Others share too much, too publicly. On the other hand, be careful about what you post on social media.
Assume that anything you say about your accident or injuries will be seen by the insurance company. If you say you're suffering greatly but your social media shows you doing activities inconsistent with that claim, it damages your credibility.
The insurance industry looks for contradictions. They hire investigators. They review your posts. Your credibility as an injured person is critical—protect it by being thoughtful about what you share publicly.
You Don't Have to Do This Alone
If you physically can't keep records yourself—because of the injury or another limitation—lean on your family or friends.
People who have support systems tend to have better outcomes. Having a family member help with symptom journaling or keeping track of documents makes a real difference.
This might be hard if you're used to being the one others lean on. But it's okay to ask for help when you're going through difficulty. It requires humility, and that's okay.
When you come out of this, you can go back to being strong for others. Right now, let others be strong for you.
What Comes Next
Your focus should be on healing. My focus is on building the strongest possible case with the information you provide.
I rely on what my clients experience—that subjective component is essential for me to tell your story effectively. Whether I'm talking to an insurance adjuster, a defense attorney, or presenting to a jury, the documentation you keep becomes the foundation of how we demonstrate what you've been through.
Keep that accordion folder. Track your symptoms. Bring your records to appointments. Be honest about how you feel.
Do those things, and you're giving yourself the best chance for appropriate medical care and a strong case outcome.
