The first seventy-two hours after a motor-vehicle crash are the most important window you control. In that short span, adrenaline fades, memories harden, and evidence either gets preserved or disappears. Treat those three days like a checklist and you will set yourself up for a smoother medical recovery and a stronger legal claim, no matter where the collision happened.
Below, our friends from The Law Office of Jeffrey Weiskopf discuss a step-by-step evidence game plan for the first 72 hours after a crash.
Start With Health, Not Paperwork
Let first responders evaluate you at the scene and consider an immediate ER or urgent-care visit even if you “feel fine.” Delayed pain is common and early documentation links symptoms to the crash. Tell clinicians all your complaints, big and small: headaches, neck stiffness, dizziness, tingling, and sleep problems. If you only mention the loudest pain, insurers later argue that everything else is unrelated.
Secure Visuals While The Scene Still Exists
If it is safe, take wide and close photos of vehicle positions, crash points, skid marks, fluid trails, shattered glass, weather, lighting, traffic signals, and road defects. Photograph the other vehicle’s plates and any commercial markings. If you cannot take photos, ask a passenger or bystander. Keep filming until the tow trucks leave. Later, capture photos of your bruises and swelling as they evolve.
Identify People And Paper
Exchange full contact and insurance information with the other driver. Ask witnesses for phone numbers and a short text or voice memo describing what they saw. If police respond, get the report number and officers’ names. If no officer arrives, file an online self-report where available. Save every receipt for towing, prescriptions, rideshare, and medical visits.
Create A Short Daily Symptom And Activity Log
Each evening, note your pain levels, sleep quality, work limitations, and missed activities (lifting kids, exercising, driving, chores). These real-life impacts help providers treat you and give adjusters and jurors a full picture of how the injury changed your routine.
Notify Insurers, But Carefully
Most policies require prompt notice, but you do not owe a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer on day one. Provide basics (date, time, location, vehicles) and decline speculation about fault or injuries until you have spoken with a car accident lawyer and have follow-up care. Avoid posting about the crash on social media; even innocent photos can be misinterpreted.
Preserve Digital Data
Save dashcam clips, home camera footage, and smartphone photos to a cloud folder. Do not repair or dispose of the car before it is fully documented. If a commercial vehicle is involved, important electronic logging and maintenance records can be overwritten quickly unless a preservation letter goes out early.
Do Not Forget Employment And Transportation Logistics
If injuries limit your ability to work, save emails about missed shifts, modified duties, or remote accommodations. Track mileage to appointments, parking, and assistive devices you purchase. Small, well-documented expenses demonstrate the real costs of recovery and are easier to reimburse when itemized.
Consider Children And Older Adults
If children or older adults were passengers, note how the event affected them. Replace child car seats after significant crashes and keep the old seats for inspection. For older adults, watch for concussion symptoms and balance issues that may not be obvious at the scene.
Give Yourself Grace
The first days are chaotic, and perfect compliance is not realistic. Aim for “good enough and documented.” A measured approach beats frantic improvisation and keeps the focus where it belongs: on healing and clarity.
