Collecting The Evidence: Eveything You Need To Support A Legal Case

If you ever need the services of a lawyer, you will quickly find out it can be an incredibly expensive experience. And whatever you can do to lower those costs as much as possible is always a good idea – whether it’s helping them out with your case notes, or even offering to trade your skills for something the legal firm might need.

One of the best things you can do is to collect evidence for your case – as much as possible, and as accurately as possible, too. Don’t forget, the burden of proof is on you as the plaintiff and injured party, and the more evidence you have, the better outcome you can expect. And the reality is that collecting evidence can take a long time, and asking your lawyer to take care of things is going to cost you a small fortune.

With this in mind, here are a few tips on how to collect evidence to support your case if you need to take an issue to court. Not only will it save you a bit of money when it comes to your lawyer’s billable hours, but it will also help your case.

After the event

If you are lucky enough to be alert enough to collect evidence on the scene, it’s advisable you do so. Obtain statements and details of any witnesses to the incident, whether it is an accident, car crash, or a serious incident at work. The more people that can back up your story, the better. Also, take pictures. Whereas in the past this would have been difficult because people would rarely have a camera on hand, but these days we all do – our smartphones.

Create a file

First thing’s first, make sure your evidence is collected and filed away in a proper folder. Keep things ordered sensibly, and separate the files into specific categories – medical bills in one, perhaps, and loss of expenditure in another.

Medical expenses

You will need to collect all medical bills you have incurred from the incident, whether it is an accident or otherwise. Separate them into those bills you have been paid and those that you have yet to. Make sure you have doctors reports, emergency room records, and all radiology and medical records you have had.

Mileage

Don’t forget that going to all these medical checkups and visits to your lawyer are going to cost you in fuel. In fact, any traveling you have to do that is directly a result f your case should be noted and recorded, as this should be part of your expenses claim.

Work record

It’s vital that you include any time that you have had to take off work, too. Whether you are injured or are under severe psychological distress, it doesn’t matter – you need to write it all down. A letter from your employer is also a good idea, unless, of course, you have a dispute with them. In this case, a doctor’s letter signing you off work should be OK to suit your needs.

Hope this has helped – and good luck with the case!