An assault can lead to serious injury and also potentially psychological trauma. Assaults can also cause property damage to clothing and personal electronics. Most people headed to social events or public locations do not anticipate experiencing criminal activity.
However, sometimes a road rage incident, a disagreement at the bar or a chance encounter with the wrong person can lead to a violent physical assault. Those injured by another person often need to take certain steps to protect their rights and give themselves the opportunity to exercise certain options in the future.
Seeking medical care
The more severe the assault was, the more important timely medical intervention may become. A single punch to the head could be enough to cause a traumatic brain injury, and someone may not have symptoms for days. Broken bones could remain stable, meaning that they might worsen after exercise or another traumatic incident, like a fall. Seeing medical professionals shortly after an assault can help someone diagnose injuries. Medical records can also be important form of evidence when seeking to hold the assailant accountable.
Immediately preserving evidence
Human memory is fallible, meaning that people may struggle to recall incidents accurately as time passes. Not only does memory fade, but traumatic memories are subject to alteration if people have to repeatedly recall the incident. The sooner that someone establishes written notes or records a video of themselves discussing the details of the assault, the better their chances are of preserving their memory and avoiding claims that they have exaggerated or misremembered this scenario.
Reporting the matter to law enforcement
Many people convince themselves that an assault isn’t worth reporting unless it results in permanent or near-fatal injuries. However, an assault is against the law regardless of how severe the initial injuries are for the victim of the incident. Notifying the police of the assault helps ensure that there is a record of the incident and also that police have access to evidence as soon as possible.
When an assault leads to expenses, people can look into their options for compensation. Assaults at businesses can sometimes lead to insurance compensation or grounds for a premises liability lawsuit if negligent security contributed to the incident. It is also theoretically possible to take legal action against the assailant regardless of whether the state prosecutes them or not. Ultimately, taking the right steps after an assault or other crime can help people limit the long-term effects that incident has on their future.