Claims against businesses, municipalities, or government agencies are highly complex. These entities have teams of lawyers and strict, short deadlines for filing official notices of claim that you must follow exactly. Missing a deadline by one day can destroy your case. They also have legal protections and immunity doctrines. A lawyer knows these special rules, ensures all paperwork is filed correctly and on time, and levels the playing field against their well-resourced legal departments.

Preserve the original digital files exactly as they came from your camera or phone. Do not delete them. Create a dedicated folder on your computer or cloud storage and make backups. Within the folder, you can create subfolders by category (e.g., “Scene,“ “Injury,“ “Property Damage”). A simple text document noting the date, time, location, and a brief description of what each photo shows will help you stay organized when you need to present the evidence later.

Insurance most commonly handles claims where you are found legally responsible for causing bodily injury or property damage to others. This includes incidents like a guest slipping and falling in your home, causing a car accident, or your dog biting a neighbor. It also covers claims of personal injury, such as libel or slander. The core function is to protect your assets by covering the other party’s medical bills, repair costs, and legal fees if you are sued, up to the limits of your policy.