What to Do After a Car Accident That Wasn't Your Fault
Published 2026-03-09 · Legal Niche Pros
FAQ
Should I accept the first insurance settlement offer?
Initial offers are frequently lower than the claim's eventual value, especially before you know the full extent of your medical treatment. Many people consult an attorney before accepting.
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim?
It depends entirely on your state — this is exactly the kind of deadline the Case Clarity Score's filing-deadline component is built to estimate for you.
The steps you take in the first 72 hours after a car accident often determine how strong your eventual claim will be, long before you decide whether to hire a personal injury attorney.
At the scene
Call the police so an official report exists, photograph the vehicles, the road conditions, and any visible injuries, and get the other driver's insurance and contact information. Avoid admitting fault verbally, even out of politeness — that statement can follow you into a claim.
In the days after
See a doctor even if you feel fine; some injuries, especially soft-tissue and concussion-related ones, don't present symptoms immediately, and a documented gap between the accident and treatment is something insurers routinely use to dispute claims. Keep every receipt, every missed-work record, and every piece of correspondence with the insurance company.
Personal injury claims are also subject to a statute of limitations that varies by state, and most run from the date of the accident rather than the date you finish treatment — so don't let ongoing recovery delay you from understanding your filing deadline.