Build a timeline from the booking forward
Save the itinerary, receipts, app screenshots, boarding instructions, safety briefings, seating position and any messages about delays or weather. Write down what you saw and heard while memories are fresh, and identify other passengers and witnesses. Preserve original files with metadata where possible rather than only social-media copies.
Document the full injury
Seek appropriate medical care and keep diagnoses, treatment plans, bills, travel costs, missed work and changes in daily function together. Symptoms can evolve. A medical record and a personal timeline serve different purposes; both may help explain how the event affected you.
Expect multiple coverage questions
An operator’s policies, a manufacturer’s coverage and other insurance may all be relevant, but available coverage cannot be assumed. Ticket terms and waivers may be raised and their effect varies. An attorney should review the documents and the governing jurisdiction before a claimant signs a release or accepts a final payment.