How to Document Injuries After a Car Accident

After a car accident, the first few days can feel like a blur: You’re juggling doctor visits, car repairs, and insurance calls on top of the pain you may already be feeling. Understandably, most people focus on getting through the day rather than documenting car accident injuries. 

However, establishing a personal log of your injuries is one of the most important things you can do early in recovery.

Here’s what to track, how to do it, and why it matters—whether you’re dealing with a mild injury or something more serious.

1. Start as Soon as Possible

Even if the pain hasn’t fully set in, begin your log right after the accident. Many injuries, especially soft tissue injuries or concussions, don’t show symptoms immediately.

So don’t wait to feel worse before you begin documenting car accident injuries. Start your log within 24 hours of the accident, even if you think you “just feel sore.” Your first few entries might include:

• Where your car was hit,
• What you remember from the crash,
• Any initial discomfort or irregular sensations, and
• How well (or how poorly) you slept that night.

Establishing a timeline from day one can be important later if your condition develops or worsens.

2. Record Your Symptoms Every Day

Dedicate a few minutes each day to record how you’re feeling. Include things like:

• Specific areas of pain or stiffness;
• The severity of symptoms (using a scale from 1-10 can help);
• What activities make symptoms better or worse;
• Any new symptoms, like tingling, stiffness, headaches, or dizziness; and
• How your mobility is affected (Can you walk normally? Are routine activities harder?).

Even as you begin to heal, keep logging. A consistent, detailed account shows the full scope of your recovery from initial pain to long-term progress. This can be helpful if symptoms return later or if an insurer questions the timeline of your injuries.

3. Log Every Interaction with a Medical Provider

In addition to tracking how you feel, document every medical appointment and recommendation, including:

• All appointments, including physical therapy, chiropractic visits, or specialist care;
• Names, titles, and contact info of providers you see;
• Diagnosis details and explanations from your doctor;
• Any tests ordered, like MRIs, CT scans, or X-rays;
• Prescribed medications and dosages;
• Activity restrictions or modified work orders; and
• Follow-up timelines and recommendations.

Also, remember to save or scan all paperwork: visit summaries, discharge instructions, prescriptions, and test results. These records offer third-party validation of what you’re experiencing and are critical if your claim goes to an insurance adjuster or a car accident attorney.

4. Track How the Injury Affects Your Daily Life

One of the most overlooked parts of injury documentation is the day-to-day impact on your life. Medical records can’t always show how much you’re struggling with basic tasks or emotional stress.

Include notes in your log about the following:

• Missed work or reduced hours;
• Difficulty with childcare or household responsibilities;
• Changes in routines, such as exercise, sleep, or social activities;
• Emotional effects like anxiety, irritability, or trouble concentrating; and
• Limitations in daily tasks such as driving, grocery shopping, or sitting for long periods.

You don’t have to write a long journal entry every day. Even short, clear examples help. Notes like “Needed help carrying groceries due to shoulder pain,” or “Slept only 3 hours due to back spasms,” provide a fuller, more relatable picture of your recovery.

5. Keep Your Log in One Place

There’s no one right way to keep an injury log. What matters most is that your notes are organized and accessible.

Here are a few options:

• A dedicated notebook or paper journal,
• A notes app on your phone (consider exporting it weekly),
• A spreadsheet sorted by date, or
• A shared online document (Google Docs works well).

Consider adding photo evidence as well. Pictures of visible bruising, swelling, or mobility aids (like crutches or braces) visually document your condition.

Just make sure whatever method you choose is backed up. If it’s digital, use automatic cloud storage. If it’s handwritten, take photos regularly. Staying organized will help you, your doctor, your attorney, and your insurance company—all of whom may need access later.

What If You Didn’t Start Documenting Your Car Accident Injuries Right Away?

Don’t worry. It’s never too late to begin documenting car accident injuries. Start now and do your best to reconstruct the early days. Use tools like:

• Calendar entries, texts, or emails to remember appointments;
• Credit card statements for pharmacy or urgent care visits;
• Photos from your phone showing bruises or damaged items; and
• Any messages sent to your employer, friends, or family about the accident or how you were feeling.

Include a note explaining when you started the log and why. Being transparent adds credibility, and partial documentation is better than none at all.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

Even with the best intentions, some people unwittingly weaken their claim through avoidable oversights. Here are a few examples:

• Skipping days. Try to keep your log consistent. Skipping too many entries can make it harder to show how things changed over time.
• Downplaying how you feel. It’s okay to be honest about your symptoms. You don’t need to exaggerate, but don’t minimize things, either.
• Tossing out paperwork. Hang on to everything, including visit summaries, receipts, and instructions from your doctor.
• Posting on social media. Be thoughtful about what you share. A post that seems harmless could be taken out of context later.

Staying organized and consistent helps ensure that your car accident injuries are clearly documented in case you need to reference them later.

Need Help Protecting Your Car Accident Injury Claim?

At Southern Maryland Law, we understand how overwhelming life gets after a serious car accident. Between recovering physically and navigating the paperwork, it’s easy for important details to fall through the cracks. That’s where we come in.

For over 60 years, we’ve helped crash victims across Charles County and Southern Maryland document their injuries, build their cases, and recover fair compensation. If you have questions about documenting car accident injuries, we’re ready to help.

Contact Southern Maryland Law today for a free consultation.