What you do in the first 48 hours after an accident shapes your entire injury case. Insurance adjusters move quickly to limit payouts — these seven steps make sure your rights keep pace.
1. Get medical attention immediately
Adrenaline masks injuries. A same-day medical record links your injuries to the accident — without it, insurers argue you were hurt elsewhere or not at all.
2. Report the accident officially
Call police to the scene and file an incident report with the property owner or employer as applicable. Official reports anchor your timeline.
3. Photograph everything
Vehicles, hazards, injuries, road conditions, signage — take wide shots and close-ups before anything is moved or repaired.
4. Collect witness details
Names, numbers, and a sentence about what each person saw. Independent witnesses often decide disputed-liability cases.
5. Say little to insurers
Report the facts, but decline recorded statements and early settlement offers until an attorney reviews your claim’s full value.
6. Keep every receipt and record
Medical bills, prescriptions, missed workdays, travel to appointments — damages you can’t document, you can’t recover.
7. Call a personal injury attorney early
Evidence fades and deadlines run. Our personal injury team evaluates claims free — and the earlier we start, the stronger your case.
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