What to do after a car accident.

At the scene (first 60 minutes)

1. Check for injuries. Call 911 for anything more than minor.
2. Move vehicles out of traffic if drivable and safe.
3. Photograph: vehicle positions, damage, license plates, road conditions, traffic controls, your visible injuries.
4. Exchange driver's license, insurance, plate, and phone number with every other driver.
5. Collect names and numbers of witnesses. Insurers find them less convincing after a week.
6. Do not admit fault, apologize, or speculate. State the facts only.

Within 24 hours

1. Get medical care. ER, urgent care, or a same-day primary care visit. Same-day records are the single most useful evidence in a soft-tissue case.
2. Notify your own insurer. Most policies require prompt notice.
3. Photograph injuries every day for the first week. Bruising and swelling worsen visibly.
4. Write down the sequence of events while it is fresh. Save it; do not post it.

Within 72 hours

1. Obtain the police report number. The full report often takes 5 to 10 days.
2. Follow through on referrals: imaging, physical therapy, specialist visits.
3. Decline a recorded statement to the at-fault driver's insurer. You are not required to give one.
4. Keep a treatment log: dates, providers, costs, mileage, missed work.

What to avoid

• Social-media posts about the crash, your injuries, or your activities. Insurers screen accounts.
• Gaps in treatment. A two-week gap reads as "recovered" even when it means "could not get an appointment."
• Quick settlement offers. Once signed, the release closes the case.

Next: see whether you have a case and what it might be worth.