Frequently Asked Question: “I was just in an auto accident. What should I do now?”

Here is a list of 10 things to do following a serious auto accident:

1. Call your own auto insurance company

Call your own auto insurance company within 24 hours and report the accident. Find your insurance card and call the 1-800 line or locate it online. There is usually a 24-hour number to report an auto accident. Yes, call your own insurer, not the other party’s insurer. They will open a claim for you and reach out to the other insurer.

Write down that claim number from your auto insurer. Your lawyer will need it later.

2. open your “Personal Injury Protection” (PIP) claim

While on the phone, ask the agent to open your “Personal Injury Protection” (PIP) claim with your own auto insurance company. First, confirm that you have PIP coverage—it pays for medical bills instead of your health insurance, and legally, it is primary (it must be paid first before health insurance). In Washington, most people carry $10,000 of personal injury protection coverage unless they have waived it in writing before the accident occurred. (Yes, you do this even if the other part is at fault for the crash—your own PIP pays first).

3. Find your own auto insurance declaration page.

This is the part of your own auto insurance policy that contains the key coverage amounts and types. It is often page 1 of your auto insurance policy. It tells you what coverages you have and which ones you don’t have. This is critical to any meeting you have with a lawyer. Bring it with you so they can advise you about both PIP and underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage (UIM). You might have this online at your insurer’s webpage or you might have a paper copy at home somewhere. Some people even have a wallet-size card with these coverages and figures listed. Take the time to find it and your meeting with the lawyer will be more productive.

4. Take photos of the scene, your vehicle, and your injuries

Document all the bruises, scratches, cuts, incisions, stitches, or burns on your body. Have someone help you get far away and close quality images of all injuries and take them as the injuries heal. Also document the damage to your car at the scene, if you can, and before the repair shop takes the car apart. If you can safely do so, photograph the scene of the crash and the other party’s car, and the location of the debris in the roadway.

5. Do not talk to the other party’s insurance company

While it is okay to submit a claim for the vehicle damage to your auto, you should not talk to the bodily injury adjuster about any aspect of your injury case. If they call you about your injuries, tell them you are treating for your injuries and will be retaining a lawyer. Trust us, you want a lawyer to reach out to them to protect your interest in a serious injury case. The other party’s insurer is not going to be helpful to you in most cases. Their job is to get you to accept a small settlement right away and to sign a full release. Simply put, don’t talk to them—instead, hire a lawyer. You have three years to fully resolve your case with the auto insurance company before filing a lawsuit. You don’t need to be in a hurry to settle with them the first week.

6. Get a copy of the full police report

This can be obtained online from the agency that investigated the accident, either the city police, the county sheriff’s office, or the Washington State Patrol. For Tri-City (Kennewick, Pasco, or Richland) auto accidents, use these helpful links for more information:

• Washington State Patrol
• Richland Police Department
• Kennewick Police Department
• Pasco Police Department
• Benton County Sheriff’s Office
• Franklin County Sheriff’s Office

7. Schedule with your family physician

It is critical that the physician or provider who knows you best evaluates you right away. While going to the ER or urgent care is good and is often the best things following a serious crash, you need to also get in to see your primary care provider. They know your history, your medication list, your lifestyle. They can help you navigate the best medical path forward. Try to avoid repeated visits to the ER or urgent care facilities and, instead, see your own doctor. If you have trouble getting into your provider, see another provider at a care clinic that specializes in accident or injury care. If you would like to see a physical therapist, chiropractor, acupuncturist, massage therapist, or other form of treatment, get a referral from your primary care provider

8. Do not post on social media

Do not post on social media about your accident or your injuries, and stay off socials while you heal. Avoid putting anything on social media about your crash. The first thing insurance companies or lawyers ask for in a legal case is your username and password for Facebook, Instagram, X and others. They will demand that you download all posts near the date of the crash and afterward to document your injury, recovery, and the facts of the accident. They will also ask when you changed your settings to private and what you’ve deleted since the accident. So, just avoid a lot of hassle and don’t post about your accident in the weeks following your accident. Talk to your lawyer first.

9. Keep track of your time off work and any out-of-pocket expenses

Keep your receipts and paystubs showing time off work. Many of these expenses can be recouped in any eventual settlement with the at-fault insurance company. Your lawyer will want to take scans or copies of these documents.

10. Call a qualified personal injury attorney right away

Don’t wait as a good lawyer will want to document the scene, and your injuries and reach out to the insurance companies right away to verify coverage for you. They can help you open claims, follow the coordination of benefits between PIP and your health insurance, and advise you about providers. For a serious injury case, you don’t want to navigate the early stages of a case with representation.