What should I do after a car accident?

At the scene

• Get out of traffic if you can do it safely, and turn on hazards
• Call 911. Ask for police even for a minor collision — a report is far easier to get now than later
• Do not apologise and do not admit fault. "I'm sorry" is a reflex and it gets written down
• Photograph both vehicles from several angles, the whole scene, skid marks, debris, signals and signs, and the other car's plate
• Photograph the other driver's licence and insurance card rather than copying the numbers by hand
• Get names and phone numbers from witnesses before they drive away
• Note the responding officer's name and the report number

Get examined, even if you feel fine

Adrenaline is a painkiller and it wears off. People walk away from crashes feeling shaken but unhurt, then wake up two days later unable to turn their head.

There is also a claims reason. A gap between the crash and your first medical visit is the argument every adjuster reaches for first: if you were really hurt, you would have gone. Get checked the same day if you can.

In the days after

• Report the crash to your own insurer, factually, without speculating on fault or the extent of your injuries
• Follow the treatment plan and do not skip appointments
• Keep every bill, every discharge sheet, and every receipt
• Write down what you remember while it is fresh, including how you feel each day
• Stay off social media about the crash and about your activity — those posts get found

The recorded statement

The other driver's insurer will call, and they will be friendly. They will ask for a recorded statement, and they will make it sound routine.

You are not required to give one to the other side's insurer, and it exists to be used against you later. A question like "how are you doing today?" produces "I'm fine, thanks," and that sentence gets read back a year later. Decline politely and talk to a lawyer first.

What not to do

• Do not sign anything from the other insurer, including a medical authorisation that opens your entire history
• Do not accept a quick cheque before you know how your injuries resolve
• Do not repair or dispose of your vehicle before it has been photographed and documented
• Do not wait. Camera footage overwrites and witnesses move on

Then make one call

The first conversation with Johnson Injury Law is free, it obligates you to nothing, and Boyd takes it himself. If you do not need a lawyer, he will tell you that too.