First Steps After a Car Accident: Protecting Both Your Health and Your Claim

The minutes after a collision can feel like slow-motion chaos: airbags deploy, adrenaline spikes, and a dozen strangers pull out smartphones. Those same minutes also decide whether your eventual injury claim succeeds. The golden rule is safety first - move vehicles to a shoulder if possible and call 911 for anyone injured. Beyond that, think evidence. Photographs of vehicle positions, license plates, skid marks, and weather conditions freeze the scene before tow trucks erase it. Screenshot traffic-cam alerts or GPS routes that show congestion patterns contributing to the crash.

Medical evaluation should follow immediately, even for “minor” soreness. Soft-tissue injuries hide beneath adrenaline and only blossom days later. A same-day urgent-care or ER record establishes causation that insurance adjusters cannot dismiss as unrelated back pain. When talking to paramedics or physicians, describe every symptom, no matter how small. A documented complaint of wrist tingling today prevents skeptical questions when nerve-conduction tests appear six weeks hence.

Next, consult counsel. Indiana’s comparative-fault system reduces recovery by your percentage of blame; opposing adjusters will mine early statements for admissions like, “I didn’t see the car coming.” Your attorney can craft a narrative that places responsibility where it belongs, supported by traffic-code citations and black-box data.

Protect social media. A single “Feeling blessed ” post from the hospital waiting room can undermine claims of pain and suffering. Set accounts to private and avoid discussing the accident publicly. Gather wage statements and time-off records to quantify lost income, and save all receipts - from prescription co-pays to Uber rides while your vehicle is out of commission.

After medical stabilization, begin a diary - pain levels, mobility limitations, emotional stress. Adjusters discount invisible injuries, but a day-by-day log transforms abstract suffering into persuasive, compensable facts. Properly handled, even a frightening crash can translate into fair compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and the intangible toll of pain.

Need to speak with a lawyer? Contact Brinkley Law today at 317-766-1379.