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Nobody expects to be involved in a train accident, but—despite being incredibly rare— these types of wrecks still happen. As such, you might feel completely unprepared for what to do in the aftermath.  

While your top priority should be taking care of your health, it’s also important to start thinking about how you will approach building a personal injury claim to recover compensation for your losses. It’s never easy to gauge whether you have a strong case, but there are a few common signs that yours might have what it takes to yield a payout. 

Strong Evidence from the Accident Scene 

Compelling proof is almost always the foundation of a convincing case, and the sooner you begin gathering evidence, the higher the chances it will still be available. As such, if you are physically able to do so, you should take steps to document the accident scene immediately after the collision.  

Delay this process and you might find that important evidence has been altered or destroyed depriving you of the building blocks you might need to achieve a favorable outcome. Proof that might play an important role in your claim could include: 

• Surveillance camera footage 
• Photographs of the wreckage 
• Eyewitness statements 
• Official police reports 
• Train event recorder data 
• Maintenance records 

Financial Records Demonstrating Your Losses 

To recover compensation after a train wreck, you will have to provide proof of the types of losses you’ve incurred. Recoverable damages can include your medical bills, replacement services, and lost wages. You should make copies of any relevant invoices, bills, and receipts and compile them in a safe place where they’ll be ready to share with your attorney. 

Minimal Activity on Social Media 

Laying low on social media is one of the best steps you can take to protect your claim. After all, the insurer may monitor your profiles for any evidence that could be used to challenge your case, so limiting what you post on these platforms will ensure that you don’t inadvertently hand ammunition to opposing parties to dispute aspects of your claim.  

Ideally, you should deactivate your social media accounts until proceedings have run their course. However, if this isn’t possible for you, you should at least avoid discussing anything related to your pending claim, social activities, expenses, injuries, and the accident. 

A Prompt Diagnosis 

Visiting the doctor after an accident should be your top priority. While you might feel fine, or don’t think your injuries are serious enough to warrant a comprehensive medical assessment, skipping this crucial step could leave you unable to pursue compensation.  

Additionally, when you visit the doctor, he or she will usually create detailed medical records documenting information about your condition, treatments, and limitations. Such records can help tie your injuries to the wreck and provide strong evidence of some of the damages you’ve suffered.  

Speak to a California Train Accident Attorney Today 

If you were injured in a train wreck, turn to the legal team at Harris Personal Injury Lawyers to discuss your next steps. Through the years, we’ve helped many accident victims recover compensation after devastating accidents, securing more than $300 million in settlements and verdicts for our clients. Call us today at 1-800-GO-HARRIS or shoot us a message via our Contact Page to pencil in a free case evaluation with a California train accident attorney.