Save for a helmet and padded jacket, motorcyclists have minimal protection against crash forces in a collision. Even a low-speed crash can lead to catastrophic injuries. If you were hurt on the road, turn to our Castaic motorcycle accident attorneys for advice. 

At HPIL, we’ve represented injury victims across California, helping our clients secure more than $300 million in financial awards. If you were injured due to someone else’s negligent, reckless, or intentional actions, you may be able to recover compensation for your injuries and other losses. Dial 1-800-GO-HARRIS to find out more. 

How Do I Prove Non-Economic Losses after a Wreck? 

The full impact of a serious wreck isn’t only measured in invoices, bills, and receipts. While these costs will likely form a significant portion of your financial award, there are many other ways an injury can affect your life.  

For example, if you suffered a permanent disability, you may no longer be able to live independently. This could lead to emotional distress, long-term pain and suffering, and a noticeable decline in your quality of life. Even minor injuries such as broken bones can have a long-lasting impact on your emotional well-being. 

These losses fall under the category of non-economic damages. While they can be challenging to prove, a skilled personal injury attorney may be able to help you build a convincing case for such damages.  

Let’s take a look at some of the types of evidence that might play a role in your case: 

• Social Media Posts: As a general rule, you should avoid posting on social media for the duration of proceedings. However, your online activity might be useful in proving non-economic damages such as loss of enjoyment in life. If, for instance, you were an avid cyclist and regularly posted your routes, times, and photos of your activities, the lack of such posts after the accident could help illustrate how your injuries have disrupted your normal routines.  

• Psychiatric Reports: If you have suffered mentally and emotionally since the accident, you should schedule sessions with a mental health professional. He or she will usually document your symptoms, and could help prove that you’ve developed anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other psychological issues because of the collision and your injuries. 

• Personal Injury Journal Entries: A personal injury journal is your space to keep track of your pain levels, limitations, medication side-effects, and other aspects of your recovery. If you’re seeking non-economic damages, it’s likely your attorney will make use of your entries to demonstrate how you’ve suffered since the accident. 

What Should I Include in My Personal Injury Journal? 

Sometimes referred to as a post-accident pain journal, the goal of this diary is to accurately describe the impact that your injuries have had on your everyday life. It’s also an ideal space to note down the pain and discomfort you experience throughout your recovery.  

Let’s take a closer look at some of the items you should include your journal: 

• Your Pain Levels: Even a relatively minor injury can lead to extreme levels of pain and suffering; while serious conditions can be debilitating, disrupting your ability to enjoy your everyday life. Fortunately, you may be able to recover compensation for the pain you’ve suffered because of the accident. Whenever you experience pain, you should describe this sensation and grade its severity on a scale of 1 to 10. Your attorney may use these entries to help you build a case for non-economic damages. 

• The Circumstances Surrounding the Accident: As soon as possible after the wreck, you should take time to write down everything you can remember about the collision. This entry will usually kickstart your personal injury journal and is the ideal starting point for your attorney’s investigation. Try including information about eyewitnesses, what the other party said immediately after the accident, whether you noticed any surveillance cameras nearby, and whether police officers arrived to investigate the wreck. 

• Your Limitations: Do you now require assistance with everyday tasks that before you were injured you had no trouble doing on your own. For instance, are you unable to cook, tackle household chores, or take care of basic grooming without help? Every time your injuries prevent you from performing certain activities, you should take note of these moments. Describe exactly how and why your injuries are inhibiting you. These entries can help contextualize your medical records, painting a clear picture of how your condition has disrupted your normal routines. 

• Follow-ups and Consultations: Whenever you visit the doctor, you should take notes of what he or she says in your journal. Not only will this help you stick to your treatment plan, but these entries could also serve as evidence to prove that you followed through on your duty to mitigate damages. 

Discuss Your Situation with a Castaic Motorcycle Accident Attorney 

A serious motorcycle wreck can affect almost every aspect of your life. Many victims are unable to work due to their injuries, missing out on thousands of dollars in income in addition to other losses. At HPIL, our legal team has decades of combined experience representing injured motorcyclists and other accident victims. Contact us today at 1-800-GO-HARRIS or head over to our contact form HERE to request a free case assessment.