Pain, missed activities and sleepless nights are hard to describe from memory. An injury journal is a simple record a client keeps, often for a few minutes a day, of how the injury affects daily life. Whether to keep one, and how it may be used, is counsel's decision, so the firm should guide the client before they start.
What clients usually record
- The date and a pain level from 0 to 10.
- How they slept.
- What they could not do: work, chores, driving, time with family, exercise.
- Appointments, therapy and medicine taken.
- A sentence or two in their own words.
Keep it honest and simple
Short and steady beats long and occasional. Good days belong in it too; a journal that only records bad days is less believable.
Remind clients it may be read
Anything written may be seen by the other side someday. Counsel should explain what to include and what to leave out.
Our injury journal keeps daily entries on the client's own device and prints them.
Litigation support is performed at the direction of a licensed attorney. Whether a journal is kept, and how it is used, is counsel's decision.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or regulatory advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible agency or a licensed professional.
