Accidents and injuries
After a crash: what matters in the first weeks
The other car is towed, the police report is a number on a slip of paper, and your phone is filling up with calls: the other driver's insurer, your own, a body shop, sometimes people offering to help who you never contacted. Meanwhile your neck still hurts.
Here is what tends to matter most, and where we fit in.
Get the care you need, and keep a record of it
Your health comes first, and it also turns out to matter to any claim. Injuries from crashes, especially to the neck, back and head, sometimes feel worse days later. Tell every doctor how it happened, keep follow-up appointments, and keep the paperwork. Gaps in treatment are one of the first things an insurer points to.
Be careful what you say to insurance companies
You usually need to report the crash to your own insurer, and your policy may require it promptly. The other driver's insurer is a different matter: their adjuster works for them, not for you. You can decline to give their adjuster a recorded statement until you've had advice, and you should read any release very carefully before signing, because it usually ends your claim.
Rules differ a great deal from state to state
Some states use a no-fault system, where your own policy pays certain medical bills and lost wages first, and you can only claim against the other driver for pain and suffering if the injury is serious enough under that state's definition. Other states work differently. That is one reason a crash is best handled by a lawyer who practices where it happened.
Trucks, rideshares and company vehicles
When the other vehicle belonged to a business, a trucking company or a rideshare service, there may be more than one insurance policy and more than one company involved, and evidence such as driver logs or vehicle data can be lost if nobody asks for it. If a commercial vehicle was involved, say so in your inquiry.
What helps to have ready
- The police report number and the police department that took it.
- The other driver's name, insurer and policy number, if you have them.
- Photos of the vehicles, the road and your injuries.
- Your own insurance card and any claim numbers.
- Names of witnesses, if anyone stopped.
- A list of the places you have been treated.
- Incident and records organizer
A printable page to record what happened, where you were treated and what it has cost you.
- Preparing to talk about an injury
What to gather after an injury, how to keep a simple treatment record, and what to be careful with.
- What to have ready before you talk to a lawyer
A short, practical list you can use for any kind of problem.
Where we fit in
A lawyer at our firm looks at your case. If we take it and another firm is better placed to lead it day to day, we choose that firm from firms we have vetted for their expertise and track record, and we stay responsible for your case with them.
Questions people ask
Should I accept the first offer?
Take your time. A first offer often comes before anyone knows how the injury will heal. Once you sign a release, you usually can't reopen the claim, so it's worth having a lawyer look first.
I was a passenger. Who would the claim be against?
Possibly the driver of either car, or both, and the answer depends on what happened and on the state's rules. You don't need to know before you contact us.
I was on a bike or on foot. Does this page apply to me?
Yes. Cyclists and pedestrians hit by vehicles are in the same position as anyone else hurt in a crash, and in some states their own or a household member's car insurance may play a part.
This may also apply
- Insurance claims denied or underpaid
If your own insurer is refusing to pay benefits you believe your policy covers.
- How workers' compensation fits with your other claims
If you were driving for work when it happened.
More about accidents and injuries
This page explains things in general terms. It is not legal advice about your situation, and the law differs from state to state.