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The steps you take in the minutes and days after a car accident affect your medical recovery, your insurance claim, and any lawsuit that may follow. Most drivers have never been through the process before. Knowing what to do at the scene and in the days after the crash protects your health and your legal options.
Stay at the Scene and Call 911
Leaving the scene of an accident involving injuries or significant property damage is a crime in Missouri. Move your vehicle out of active traffic only if it is safe to do so, then call 911 and request both police and medical response. Do this even if you feel uninjured.
Adrenaline masks pain. Many drivers walk away from serious crashes feeling fine, then develop symptoms hours or days later. A paramedic on scene can spot warning signs of injury that a driver might not notice.
Document What You Can
While waiting for officers to arrive, gather information from the other driver and the scene. The goal is to capture details that may be harder to recover later.
- Driver’s license, registration, and insurance information from every involved driver
- Make, model, year, and license plate of every vehicle
- Names and phone numbers of witnesses
- Photos of vehicle positions, damage, debris fields, skid marks, and traffic controls
- Photos of any visible injuries
- Notes on weather, road conditions, and time of day
Photograph everything before vehicles are moved if possible. Wide shots establish position. Close-ups document damage. Both matter when an insurance adjuster or jury later reconstructs the crash.
Cooperate With Police, but Be Careful What You Say
Answer the officer’s questions honestly and provide your license and insurance. Stick to facts you know firsthand. Avoid speculating about speed, distance, or fault.
Statements like “I didn’t see them” or “I’m so sorry” can appear in the police report and resurface later as evidence of liability. Even if you believe you contributed to the crash, an investigation may reveal factors you were not aware of. Let the officer document the scene and witness statements before drawing conclusions.
Request the report number before the officer leaves. You will need it for the insurance claim.
Get Medical Attention the Same Day
See a doctor on the same day as the accident if possible. Emergency rooms, urgent care clinics, and primary care offices all qualify. The visit accomplishes two things. First, it identifies injuries that may not be obvious yet. Second, it creates a medical record tied to the date of the crash.
Insurance carriers look for gaps between the accident and the first medical visit. A delay of even a few days gives an adjuster room to argue that an injury came from another incident. Same-day or next-day care eliminates doubt.
Follow every instruction your doctor gives. Attend follow-up appointments. Complete physical therapy if it is ordered. A consistent treatment record carries far more weight than one with missed appointments and unfilled prescriptions.
Notify Your Insurance Company, but Decline Recorded Statements
Missouri policies require timely notice of an accident. Call your own carrier and report the basic facts. Date, time, location, and the other driver’s information are usually enough.
The other driver’s insurer will also call, often within a day or two. That call is not required, and the adjuster’s job is to reduce or deny the claim. Recorded statements taken before treatment is complete routinely lock injured drivers into inaccurate descriptions that hurt the case later. Decline politely and refer questions to your attorney.
Talk to an Attorney Before the Adjuster Pressures You to Settle
Early legal involvement protects evidence and keeps insurance pressure off the injured driver. A St. Louis car accident lawyer can request the police report, preserve surveillance footage from nearby businesses, and handle communications with every carrier involved.
Missouri Department of Transportation crash data shows tens of thousands of injury crashes each year on Missouri roads. Many drivers handle their own claims and recover less than their case is worth because they did not know what to ask for.
If you were hurt in a crash because of another driver’s negligence, contact Schmittgens Injury Law Firm to speak with a car accident lawyer in St. Louis, MO who can review your case, the timeline to file, and the steps still available to protect your claim.