Accident Checklist - Plain Claim

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At the scene

5 items

Check everyone for injuriesYourself, passengers, the other vehicle. Do not move anyone who is unresponsive or in pain unless they are in immediate danger.

Call 911Request police, and medical response if anyone is hurt.

Move vehicles out of live trafficOnly if they are drivable and nobody is seriously injured. Hazard lights on.

Get people behind a barrierOn a highway, stand behind the guardrail, not between the cars.

Do not discuss faultCheck on people, stay factual. Apologies get recorded as admissions.

Before you leave

9 items

Photograph vehicle positions before anything movesThis is the only chance you get.

Photograph all damage on every vehicleWide shots and close-ups of each contact point.

Photograph the roadSkid marks, debris, traffic signals and signs, lane markings, weather and light conditions.

Photograph any visible injuriesAnd again over the following days as bruising develops.

Photograph the other driver documentsLicense, insurance card, plate. Faster and more accurate than writing them down.

Collect names and numbers for every driver and passenger

Get contact details for any independent witnessSomeone with no stake in the outcome is worth more than either driver account.

Note the exact location and timeCross streets, mile marker, direction of travel.

Ask the officer how to obtain the reportGet the report or incident number before you leave.

Within 24 hours

6 items

See a medical providerEven if you feel fine. Adrenaline masks pain and a same-day record links any later symptom to the crash.

Describe every symptom, including minor onesWhat you leave out of the first visit is hard to add later.

Notify your own insurerMost policies require prompt notice regardless of who was at fault.

Write down everything you rememberSequence, speeds, signals, what was said. Memory degrades fast.

Start a folderOne place for every bill, report, receipt and letter.

Do not post about the crashPhotos and comments are routinely pulled into claim files.

Within 7 days

7 items

Request the police reportNote the report number and check it for errors.

Follow the treatment plan you were givenGaps in care are the most common reason an injury claim is reduced.

Photograph injuries as they developBruising and swelling often peak at two to three days.

Log every missed shift or workdayIncluding leave you had to use.

Keep every receiptPrescriptions, mileage to appointments, equipment, help around the house.

Expect a call from the other driver adjusterYou are generally not required to give them a recorded statement.

Send preservation requests for camera footageBusiness and municipal cameras commonly overwrite within days.

Within 30 days

6 items

Check your state reporting deadlineThresholds and filing windows differ by state.

Check your state filing deadlineThe statute of limitations runs regardless of how negotiation is going.

Read your own declarations pageConfirm collision, medical payments, PIP and uninsured motorist coverage.

Get a written prognosis if symptoms continueFuture care is valued at zero without a provider putting it in writing.

Do not sign a release until treatment is settledA release is final, including for complications found later.

Identify any liens on a future settlementHealth insurer, Medicare, Medicaid or provider repayment rights.

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The Accident Checklist

Tick each item as you handle it

At the scene

Before you leave

Within 24 hours

Within 7 days

Within 30 days

Where to go next

After an Accident

Claim Timeline Estimator

State Guides