Call the police, photograph everything before the cars are moved, see a doctor the same day, and do not give the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement. Those four things, done in the first two days, decide how hard the rest of your claim is going to be.
Here is why each one matters.
At the scene
Call the police and get the report number. Drivers often agree to settle a minor collision privately. Two weeks later, when a neck injury shows up, there is no independent record that the crash happened at all, and the other driver’s account of it has changed. The report is not perfect evidence, but it is contemporaneous, and it is the document every adjuster opens first.
Photograph before anything moves. Both vehicles, from several angles and far enough back to show where they came to rest. The intersection or the stretch of road. Skid marks. Debris. Traffic signals and signs. The damage to the other car, not just yours. Once the vehicles have been moved, the geometry of the crash is gone and you are left arguing about it.
Get the other driver’s insurer and policy number, not just a name and a phone number. Then get names and numbers for anyone who stopped. Independent witnesses disappear within hours and are close to impossible to find later.
The same day
Get checked out, even if you feel fine. Adrenaline masks injury for hours, and some of the worst outcomes we see, disc injuries and concussions among them, do not announce themselves at the roadside.
There is a practical reason too. A gap between the crash and the first medical visit is the most common thing an adjuster uses to argue that you were not really hurt, or that something else hurt you. Going the same day removes that argument before it starts.
Before you talk to anyone
Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer. They will call quickly, they will be pleasant, and they will ask how you are feeling. Saying that you are okay out of politeness becomes an exhibit. You are not obliged to give that statement, and there is no advantage to you in giving one before you have had advice.
Your own insurer is a different matter. You usually do have a duty to cooperate under your own policy. That still does not mean answering questions about fault or the extent of your injuries before you have spoken to a lawyer.
What about the deadline?
In Louisiana you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file suit for your injuries, for an injury on or after July 1, 2024. That is longer than it used to be, and it is still shorter than it feels once treatment, insurance correspondence and negotiation have eaten into it. Some situations change the deadline. Rather than assume, have your date checked.
Talk to us about your crash
We are a Lafayette firm and we handle car accident claims across Acadiana. The consultation is free. No fee unless we win.
Call (337) 347-7177 or see how we work on injury claims in Lafayette.
