What to do after an accident

1. 1

   Get safe, then call 911

   Health first, evidence second — always.

   Move out of traffic if you can do so safely. Check on everyone involved. Call 911 and ask for both police and medical response — even for a 'minor' crash or fall. You are not overreacting; you are creating the official record.

   If you're at a business or a building, ask that an incident report be made — and ask how to get a copy. Don't be argued out of it.

2. 2

   Say little, admit nothing

   'I'm sorry' becomes 'they admitted fault' in an insurer's file.

   Be polite and truthful, but don't speculate, apologize, or say 'I'm fine.' You don't know yet whether you're fine — adrenaline masks real injuries for hours or days.

   Give the police the facts. Let the investigation determine fault; that's its job, not yours.

3. 3

   Photograph everything

   Your phone is the best investigator on the scene.

   Vehicles from multiple angles, the whole scene, skid marks, traffic signals, the hazard that dropped you — plus wide shots showing context. Photograph your visible injuries now and as they develop.

   In a fall case, photograph the exact spot before it can be cleaned, salted, or repaired. Property owners fix hazards fast once someone gets hurt — often within days.

4. 4

   Get names — witnesses and everyone involved

   Witnesses evaporate within minutes. Numbers don't.

   Exchange license, registration, and insurance details with drivers. Get names and phone numbers for every witness — a 30-second voice memo of what they saw is gold later.

   Note nearby cameras: storefronts, doorbells, buses, traffic poles. Their footage is usually overwritten within days to weeks — knowing it exists lets a lawyer send a preservation demand in time.

5. 5

   See a doctor within 72 hours

   The gap in treatment is the insurer's favorite argument.

   Go to the ER, urgent care, or your doctor — today, not 'if it still hurts next week.' Delayed care reads as 'not really hurt' in every adjuster's playbook, and some injuries (concussions, internal injuries, disc damage) hide behind adrenaline.

   Describe every symptom, however small, and follow the treatment plan. In New York car-accident cases, no-fault benefits also have their own 30-day claim deadline — prompt care protects it.

6. 6

   Report — carefully — to your own insurer

   Notify promptly. Narrate minimally.

   Your policy requires prompt notice, and in New York your no-fault benefits flow through your own carrier. Report the basic facts: when, where, vehicles involved.

   Decline to guess about fault, speed, or injuries — 'still being evaluated' is a complete answer. And you generally owe the other side's insurer no recorded statement at all.

7. 7

   Preserve the paper trail

   One folder — physical or on your phone — for everything.

   Police report number, incident reports, photos, witness details, every medical record and bill, receipts for out-of-pocket costs, and a simple daily note of pain and what you couldn't do that day. Missed shifts and lost income too.

   Stay off social media about the crash and your activities. Defense lawyers read it — a single gym selfie can cost more than a bad deposition.

8. 8

   Talk to a lawyer before any offer, statement, or release

   Free, no obligation — and the clock may be shorter than you think.

   A consultation costs nothing and doesn't commit you to anything — but it locks in deadlines (some as short as 90 days for claims against public entities), gets preservation letters out while footage still exists, and puts a value range on your claim before an insurer anchors you low.

   If a case isn't worth bringing, an honest firm will tell you that too — it's the fastest 'no' you'll ever get, and it's still free.

The pocket version

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General information for New York, not legal advice about your situation. Deadlines and duties vary with the facts — when in doubt, use the free case review and get an answer specific to you.