Use two sections in your file
Start with a financial section containing bills, receipts, wage records, and other amounts you can trace. Create a separate personal-impact section describing changes in daily activities. This organization helps a reviewer understand the difference between an expense and the experience behind it.
The California Courts’ preparation guidance gives examples of records supporting claimed injuries and income loss. For California damage categories, the Judicial Council’s jury instruction resources are a more appropriate starting point than a universal online formula. Other states and specialized claims may use different rules or limits.
Keep the descriptions specific
| Financial record | Personal-impact note |
|---|---|
| Receipt for a replacement pair of glasses | Difficulty reading while waiting for the replacement |
| Employer record of missed shifts | A description of how recovery changed a usual routine |
| Invoice for a treatment visit | A factual account of symptoms discussed at that visit |
These are examples of organizing information, not a statement that each item is legally compensable. A fact can help explain a loss without creating a separate category of money.
Avoid double counting
Suppose an employer statement shows $800 of missed gross pay and a separate worksheet also lists four missed shifts at $200 each. Those entries describe the same $800, not $1,600. Similarly, the same hospital visit may appear on an invoice, a collection letter, and an insurer’s explanation of benefits. Reconcile them before totaling.
Personal impacts also overlap. Describe the experience accurately rather than assigning separate arbitrary prices to every label. A legal professional can explain which categories apply and how overlapping harms are treated in the relevant jurisdiction.
Write down uncertainty instead of pricing it
Use “not yet known” for future treatment, ongoing work restrictions, or unresolved balances. Keep a note explaining what would resolve each uncertainty, such as a final bill or a clinician’s treatment plan. An organized file can be useful without having a complete valuation.
Before discussing a total, ask whether it represents listed losses, a hypothetical demand, or an amount after fees and other deductions. Those numbers serve different purposes. None of them becomes an insurer’s obligation simply because it appears in a calculator.