Journal Information to Provide Your Injury Attorney

A full measure of the damages you have incurred as a result of your injury can only come from the information your provide. To help your Westlake Village injury attorney prepare your case, it is very helpful to create a journal.

Describe the emotions and feelings you experience.

It is important to be open and honest, yet not be negative nor make statements that are over-general. If pain and discomfort are affecting your emotions, say so. But avoid taking a consistently negative attitude in the journal, and avoid phrases that can be easily contradicted. Although it may be natural to say “I can’t sleep” or “I can’t move my arm,” there are only rare circumstances where there is a total inability to perform such functions.

Your Westlake Village injury attorney will caution that exaggerated or imprecise language used in your journal can, and very likely will be, used against you during cross-examination.

Providing details on how you are trying to deal and cope with the pain, and the efforts you are taking or plan to take in an attempt to change your lifestyle to make up for any limitations that your pain and suffering have caused are valuable to your case.

Whenever possible, try to keep a positive, upbeat attitude.

Keep a journal record of any loss of income, loss of earning capacity, or other wage loss information.
Begin by compiling your complete financial records, including copies of payroll stubs, W-2 forms, and other income tax returns. Maintain these records as updated copies come in.

Whenever your injuries or pain have caused you to miss work or will likely cause you to miss work, make sure to keep an accurate record in your journal of each date missed, why it was missed, how you felt that particular day, and whether any specific wages or benefits were lost as a result of missing work.

Thorough preparation translates into maximum recovery. Gary Mitchell, a Westlake Village injury attorney knows just how to achieve positive results. Mr. Mitchell may be contacted for a free initial consultation at (805) 449-4244.