Educational Resources
What to Do After a Car Accident
A Guide to Protecting Your Health and Your Future
A serious motor vehicle accident can change your life in an instant. In the moments that follow, your attention naturally turns to your injuries, your passengers and the immediate emergency.
The decisions made at the scene are important, but protecting yourself does not end when the vehicles are removed from the roadway. During the days and weeks that follow, injuries may become more apparent, evidence can disappear and insurance questions may emerge.
This guide explains what to do immediately after an accident, how to protect yourself during recovery and why important investigative and legal work should begin early.
What to Do at the Accident Scene
Your first priority is safety. If you are physically able:
Call 911 and request medical assistance.
Move to a safe location if you can do so safely.
Cooperate with police officers and emergency responders.
Exchange driver, vehicle and insurance information.
Photograph the vehicles, visible damage, roadway, traffic controls, skid marks, debris and weather conditions.
Photograph any visible injuries.
Obtain the names and contact information of witnesses.
Avoid arguing about who caused the accident or making statements that could be interpreted as accepting fault.
Accept a medical evaluation if it is recommended.
You may not be able to complete every step, especially if you are seriously injured. Your health and safety come first. Police officers, passengers, family members or witnesses may be able to help preserve information from the scene.
Even if you initially believe your injuries are minor, symptoms involving the head, neck, back or internal organs may not become apparent until hours or days later.
The Accident Scene Is Only the Beginning
Once you leave the scene, your next priorities are your medical recovery and protecting information that may be important later.
Doctors may order additional testing or refer you to specialists as your injuries become clearer. At the same time, vehicles may be repaired, surveillance video may be erased and insurance companies may contact you before you understand the full consequences of the accident.
Make Your Medical Recovery the Priority
After an accident, your primary focus should be your health.
Follow the recommendations of emergency physicians and your treating doctors. Attend follow-up appointments, complete recommended testing and report any new or worsening symptoms.
Some injuries are immediately obvious. Others take time to diagnose. Concussions, spinal injuries, soft-tissue injuries and other conditions may become more apparent as the initial shock wears off.
Do not minimize what you are experiencing. Tell your medical providers about all symptoms, even if they seem less serious than your primary injury. Explain how the injuries affect your sleep, mobility, work, concentration and daily activities.
Follow treatment instructions, attend therapy and specialist appointments, and contact your doctor if your condition changes. Continuing care allows your doctors to understand your injuries and determine what treatment may be needed. Your focus should be on healing, not on trying to predict how quickly you will recover.
Protect Important Information and Records
You and your family can take several practical steps to preserve information related to the accident and its effects on your life.
Keep all photographs and videos from the scene, including images of the vehicles, roadway and injuries. Continue photographing visible injuries as they change.
Do not immediately throw away damaged personal property that may help show the force of the collision. This might include a child safety seat, helmet, clothing, phone or other item.
Before selling, repairing or disposing of a damaged vehicle, make sure it has been properly photographed and determine whether it may need to be inspected.
An accident can create expenses that go far beyond hospital bills and vehicle repairs. Save receipts, invoices and proof of payment for anything you had to purchase or pay for because of your injuries.
These expenses may include:
Medical co-payments and deductibles
Prescription and over-the-counter medications
Braces, crutches and other medical equipment
Mileage, parking fees and tolls related to treatment
Transportation to medical appointments
Vehicle towing, storage or alternative transportation
Home or vehicle modifications made necessary by an injury
Childcare needed while attending appointments or recovering
Grocery, pharmacy or meal-delivery fees
House cleaning, laundry or meal preparation you could no longer perform
Lawn care, snow removal or other outdoor maintenance
Pet care, dog walking or pet-waste removal
Help with bathing, dressing, transportation or other personal needs
Other services you would not have needed before the accident
For example, if you regularly cleaned your home but had to hire a house cleaner because of your injuries, keep the invoices and proof of payment. The same applies if you paid someone to mow the lawn, walk your dog, remove pet waste or handle another routine responsibility you previously performed yourself.
Keep a brief note explaining why each expense became necessary, including the date, amount paid, service provided and how your injuries prevented you from handling the task.
Not every expense will necessarily become part of your case. Preserving complete records allows your lawyer to determine which costs may help show the accident’s full financial and practical impact.
Consider keeping a simple record of significant symptoms, medical appointments, physical limitations and activities you can no longer perform.
You do not need to write something every day. The purpose is to preserve meaningful details that may become difficult to remember months later.
Motor Vehicle Accident? Make a FIRST CALL to Horn Law Firm, PC at (816) 795-7500 for Immediate Help
DEALING WITH INSURANCE
Be Careful When Communicating With Insurance Companies
Insurance representatives may contact you soon after the accident. They may ask how the collision occurred, request a recorded statement or ask you to sign medical authorizations.
Remember that the insurance company is investigating what it may be required to pay under the policy. Its interests are not necessarily the same as yours.
Before giving a recorded statement or signing a broad authorization, consider speaking with an experienced motor vehicle accident lawyer. A statement given before the investigation is complete or your injuries are fully understood can create problems later.
Also use caution when discussing the accident or your recovery on social media. Photographs, comments and posts can be taken out of context.
Why Early Legal Work Matters
Many people believe an attorney’s work begins months after an accident, when it is time to negotiate a settlement or file a lawsuit.
In a serious injury case, some of the most important work begins much earlier. Early legal representation is about protecting your future while you concentrate on recovering.
A police report can be an important starting point, but it may not provide a complete explanation of what happened or identify everyone who may share responsibility.
Learn About Early Legal RepresentationDepending on the circumstances, an early investigation may include:
Obtaining the police report and supporting materials
Interviewing witnesses and preserving their statements
Locating surveillance or dash-camera video
Photographing and inspecting the vehicles
Preserving electronic vehicle data
Reviewing roadway and weather conditions
Obtaining commercial vehicle, maintenance or employment records
Evaluating whether accident reconstruction is needed
Determining whether another driver, employer, vehicle owner, company or government entity may share responsibility
Time matters. Video may be erased, vehicles may be repaired or destroyed and witnesses may become harder to locate. Beginning the investigation early can preserve information that may no longer be available later.
Identifying Every Available Source of Insurance Coverage
Many people assume that only the other driver’s automobile policy applies after an accident. Serious injury cases may involve several policies or types of coverage, including:
The at-fault driver’s liability insurance
Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage
Medical payments coverage
Personal injury protection, where available
Commercial automobile or employer insurance
An umbrella liability policy
A vehicle owner’s policy
Coverage available through another member of the household
Not every form of insurance applies in every case. Some policies also contain notice requirements, exclusions or other conditions that must be addressed.
Identifying all available coverage is especially important when the injuries are serious and the at-fault driver does not have enough insurance to provide full compensation.
Do Not Resolve the Case Before Your Injuries Are Understood
After an accident, you may be approached with an early settlement offer.
An early payment may seem helpful when medical bills are arriving and you are unable to work. The danger is that the offer may come before you understand the full extent of your injuries.
Once a case is settled, you generally cannot return later and ask for additional compensation because your condition became worse or you learned that future treatment would be required.
Before a serious injury case can be evaluated, it may be necessary to understand:
Your complete diagnoses
The treatment you have received
Future treatment or surgery you may need
Whether any injuries may be permanent
Past and future medical expenses
Time missed from work or reduced earning ability
Pain and physical restrictions
The effect on your independence and daily activities
Changes in family responsibilities and relationships
Emotional and psychological effects
The overall loss of quality of life
Understanding these consequences takes time. You should not be pressured to make a permanent decision before your doctors understand your medical future.
For a more complete explanation, visit the Horn Law Info Center guide, “What Is My Motor Vehicle Accident Case Worth?”
Focus on Recovering While the Legal Work Moves Forward
After a serious motor vehicle accident, your responsibility is to focus on your health and your family. Horn Law’s responsibility is to begin protecting your case while you recover.
That means investigating the accident, identifying everyone who may be responsible, locating all available insurance coverage and making sure the full effects of your injuries are understood before your case is resolved.
Successful motor vehicle injury cases begin long before settlement negotiations. They begin with careful preparation, early investigation and a commitment to protecting both your medical recovery and your financial future.
Frequently Asked Questions About What to Do After an Accident
Should I see a doctor if I do not feel seriously injured?
Yes. Some injuries do not produce immediate symptoms, particularly when adrenaline and shock are involved. A prompt medical evaluation can identify injuries that require treatment. Seek additional care if new symptoms appear or your condition becomes worse.
What should I do if symptoms appear several days after the accident?
You may find it helpful to speak with more than one lawyer before deciding whom to hire.
Comparing the lawyers’ focus, experience, communication, personal involvement and approach to building the case may help you make a more informed decision.
The goal is not simply to hear the biggest promise. It is to determine which lawyer gives you the most confidence that the case will be handled carefully and personally.
Should I give a recorded statement to the insurance company?
You may find it helpful to speak with more than one lawyer before deciding whom to hire.
Comparing the lawyers’ focus, experience, communication, personal involvement and approach to building the case may help you make a more informed decision.
The goal is not simply to hear the biggest promise. It is to determine which lawyer gives you the most confidence that the case will be handled carefully and personally.
What expenses should I track after an accident?
You may find it helpful to speak with more than one lawyer before deciding whom to hire.
Comparing the lawyers’ focus, experience, communication, personal involvement and approach to building the case may help you make a more informed decision.
The goal is not simply to hear the biggest promise. It is to determine which lawyer gives you the most confidence that the case will be handled carefully and personally.
Why might more than one insurance policy apply?
You may find it helpful to speak with more than one lawyer before deciding whom to hire.
Comparing the lawyers’ focus, experience, communication, personal involvement and approach to building the case may help you make a more informed decision.
The goal is not simply to hear the biggest promise. It is to determine which lawyer gives you the most confidence that the case will be handled carefully and personally.
When should I contact a motor vehicle accident lawyer?
You may find it helpful to speak with more than one lawyer before deciding whom to hire.
Comparing the lawyers’ focus, experience, communication, personal involvement and approach to building the case may help you make a more informed decision.
The goal is not simply to hear the biggest promise. It is to determine which lawyer gives you the most confidence that the case will be handled carefully and personally.