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The Claim Attorney
The Claim Attorney
Law Office of Michael P. Bowman

After a Car Accident: First Steps

What to Do in the First Hours, Days, and Weeks

What happens in the first hour after a collision shapes everything that follows. Memories fade, vehicles get repaired or sold, scene conditions change, and the other driver’s insurer starts building its file immediately. Here is the order I would want you to work in. I am licensed in Texas and Alabama only, so these are the rules and deadlines I can speak to.

1. Safety and Medical Care Come First

  • Get to a safe place. Turn on hazards. Call 911.
  • Accept medical evaluation at the scene if it is offered, even if you feel fine. Adrenaline hides injuries.
  • Get examined the same day or the next day. Gaps in treatment are the first thing an adjuster points to.
  • Tell every provider about every symptom, including headaches, dizziness, numbness, sleep trouble, and memory problems. If it is not in the chart, it did not happen.
  • Follow the treatment plan and keep every appointment, or document why you could not.

2. The Police Report

  • Call law enforcement even for a minor crash, and wait for the report to be made.
  • Get the officer’s name, agency, and the report or case number before you leave.
  • Order a copy as soon as it is available and read it. If the diagram, the direction of travel, or the listed injuries are wrong, ask the agency in writing about a supplement.

3. Document the Scene

  • Photograph both vehicles from all four corners, wide and close, before anything is moved.
  • Photograph the interior: deployed airbags, broken seats, damaged glasses, blood, or torn clothing.
  • Photograph the roadway: skid marks, debris field, fluid trails, traffic controls, sight lines, lane markings, and the weather.
  • Photograph the other driver’s license plate, insurance card, driver’s license, and the vehicle identification number.
  • Note any nearby business, home, bus, or vehicle that may have had a camera, and write down the address. That footage often overwrites within days.
  • Photograph your visible injuries that day, and again every few days as they change.

4. Witnesses

  • Get names, phone numbers, and email addresses before anyone leaves. Do not rely on the police report to capture them.
  • Ask each witness, briefly, what they saw, and write it down with the date.

5. Talking to Insurers

  • Report the crash to your own insurer promptly, as your policy requires.
  • Give the basic facts: date, time, location, vehicles, and that you were injured and are being evaluated.
  • Do not guess about speed, distance, or timing. “I don’t know” and “I’m still being treated” are complete answers.
  • Do not say “I’m fine” and do not apologize. Both get quoted back to you.
  • You are generally not required to give the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement. You may decline, ask to reschedule, or ask that questions be put in writing.
  • Do not sign a blanket medical authorization that opens your entire medical history. Limit it to treatment for this crash.
  • Do not accept a quick check or sign a release while you are still treating. A release usually ends the claim permanently.
  • Stay off social media about the crash, your injuries, and your activities.

6. Records and Expenses

  • Keep every bill, explanation of benefits, prescription receipt, and mileage log for medical travel.
  • Request your own records from every provider, including imaging.
  • Document lost wages with pay stubs and a written statement from your employer.
  • Keep the repair estimate, the total-loss valuation, rental receipts, and photographs of the vehicle before it is repaired or sold.
  • Keep a short daily journal: pain level, what you could not do, appointments, and missed work.

Deadlines. In Texas, suit for personal injury generally must be filed within two years of the injury (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a)). In Alabama, tort actions not otherwise listed must be brought within two years (Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l)). Your own policy also sets deadlines for notice, for uninsured and underinsured motorist claims, and for personal injury protection or medical payments benefits. If a city, county, state, or federal vehicle was involved, much shorter written-notice requirements may apply — ask a lawyer immediately.

Your initial case review is free. Call (850) 572-8784 or email info@claimattorney.com.

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This guide is general information for Texas and Alabama residents, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Deadlines and policy terms vary, and results depend on the facts of each case. Michael P. Bowman is licensed to practice law in Texas and Alabama only. Responsible attorney: Michael P. Bowman, Law Office of Michael P. Bowman PLLC, Austin, Texas. Questions? Call (850) 572-8784 or visit www.claimattorney.com.