The First 72 Hours After a Crash
The things that matter most are the ones easiest to miss while you are dealing with everything else.
Most of what determines a claim happens in the first days, and most people are in no condition to be thinking about evidence during them. Tick items off as you go — this page remembers your progress on this device.
First 24 hours
First 72 hours
Before you speak to the other insurer
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First 24 hours
- Get medical attention, even if you feel able to walk away
- Photograph both vehicles, the road position and any signage
- Record the other vehicle's company name, USDOT number and plate
- Get the police report number and the investigating agency
- Save your dashcam file off the card before it loops
First 72 hours
- Write down what you remember, dated, while it is fresh
- Note any nearby businesses that may have camera coverage
- Start a daily symptom and treatment log
- Keep every receipt, estimate and piece of correspondence
- Tell your own insurer that the crash happened
Before you speak to the other insurer
- Understand that you are not obliged to give a recorded statement
- Have your documentation in one place before any call
- Know that early settlement offers can arrive before your treatment is finished
Cash4Crashes is a lead-generation service that connects people injured in crashes with attorneys in our network. We are not a law firm and nothing on this page is legal advice.