What Los Angeles Drivers Should Do After a Car Accident
Driving in Los Angeles means living with constant traffic, sudden lane changes, and people who somehow think a blinker is optional. Most days, you just roll your eyes and keep going. Then one day it isn’t just a close call. There’s a real impact, your body lurches forward, and the back of your car now has a new “design.”
In the first few minutes after a crash, your brain goes into overdrive. You’re checking on passengers, trying to figure out what just happened, and wondering if you should call your insurance company right away. That instinct makes sense, but it’s not always the best first step if you want to protect yourself.
Before you start giving statements to anyone’s insurer, it can help to talk with an experienced car accident attorney in Los Angeles who deals with these situations every week. A quick conversation can change how you handle the next calls and forms, and it may save you from saying something that gets twisted later.
Take a Second to Breathe and Check on People
The very first thing is simple: pause. Take one slow breath. Then look around. Are you hurt? Is anyone in your car hurt? Is the other driver moving?
If anyone seems seriously injured, don’t try to be a hero by pulling them around unless there’s a fire or another immediate danger. Call 911 and wait for trained help. Adrenaline can make you feel strangely “fine” even when you’re not, so don’t ignore dizziness, confusion, or pain in your neck or back.
If the cars are drivable and you’re not in the middle of the freeway, move to the side of the road or a nearby parking lot. Flip on your hazard lights. In LA traffic, just getting out of the live lanes can prevent a second crash.
Get the Basics on Record
Once everyone is as safe as they can be, start gathering information. You don’t need to be a detective; you just need simple details.
Exchange names, phone numbers, license plates, and insurance information with the other driver. If they’re upset or talking fast, stay calm and keep your answers short and factual. You’re not there to argue fault on the spot.
Then grab your phone and take pictures. Lots of them. Snap the damage on both vehicles, the surrounding area, the street signs, any skid marks, and anything else that might help someone understand what happened later. A few quick photos of your own visible injuries can help too. These little details are easy to forget once the cars are towed and the scene is cleared.
If anyone stopped to help and saw the crash, politely ask for their contact information. A short message like, “Would you mind sharing your number in case my insurance needs a witness?” usually does the trick.
Call for an Official Report
In plenty of minor bumps, people decide to “handle it between us” and skip calling the police. Sometimes that works out. Sometimes it doesn’t.
If there’s noticeable damage, possible injuries, or the other driver is being difficult, it’s usually safer to have an officer come out and create a report. That document isn’t the final word on who is at fault, but it does lock in basic facts: time, place, vehicles, weather, and what each driver said at the scene. Later on, when memories blur, that report can be very helpful.
See a Doctor Even If You “Feel Okay”
A lot of drivers walk away from a crash thinking, “I’m sore, but I’ll be fine.” Then a few days pass, the stiffness gets worse instead of better, and suddenly, they’re missing work and sitting in urgent care.
The problem is that insurance companies love to point at that gap in treatment. If you waited a week or two to see a doctor, they may claim your pain came from something else. Getting checked out early isn’t dramatic; it’s smart. Tell the provider exactly what happened and where it hurts, even if it seems minor.
Keep copies of your visit summaries and any recommendations for follow-up care. These records help tie your injuries directly to the crash.
Be Extra Careful With What You Say
Right after a collision, you might feel bad for the other driver, or embarrassed, or worried about being “difficult.” That’s how a lot of people end up apologizing at the scene, even when they didn’t do anything wrong.
Try to avoid phrases like “It was my fault” or “I didn’t see you.” You can be polite without assigning blame. Stick with simple statements such as, “Is everyone okay?” or “Let’s exchange information.”
The same idea applies later when the insurance company calls. Adjusters are trained to sound friendly and casual, but they’re listening carefully for details they can use to lower what they pay out. They may ask you to guess at your speed, your exact distance from a light, or how you “think” the crash happened. You don’t have to rush into that conversation.
Why Waiting to Call Insurance Can Help You
Most policies say you must report a crash within a reasonable time, but “reasonable” doesn’t mean “within the next 10 minutes while you’re still shaking.” Taking a little time to calm down, talk with a lawyer, and see a doctor first can put you in a much stronger spot.
Once you understand your injuries better and have some guidance, you can still cooperate with the claim process. The difference is that you’ll be answering questions from a clearer place, without guessing or downplaying your pain just because you don’t want to sound dramatic.
How a Local Lawyer Fits Into All This
If you’ve never worked with a lawyer before, it can feel like a big step. In reality, after a car accident, it’s more like getting a guide for a road you’ve never driven before.
A Los Angeles car accident attorney is used to dealing with local intersections, freeway pileups, distracted driving cases, and the way different insurers handle claims. They can look at your photos, the police report, and your medical records and give you a plain-language breakdown of what your case might involve.
They’re also the ones who can step between you and the back-and-forth with the adjuster. Instead of fielding every call and worrying that one wrong word will hurt your claim, you can focus on getting better while your lawyer handles the paperwork, deadlines, and negotiations. If the insurance company tries to say you were partly to blame or that your injuries aren’t serious, your attorney is the person who pushes back with evidence.
Giving Yourself a Better Chance to Recover
No one wakes up thinking, “Today’s the day I’ll get rear-ended on Sunset” or “This afternoon I’ll be sitting on the shoulder of the 110 calling 911.” Crashes feel random and unfair, and there’s no way to make them pleasant. But you do have more control than it seems in those first shaky minutes.
Check on people. Get to safety. Gather a few key details. See a doctor. Hold off on long chats with insurance until you’ve had a chance to understand what really happened and how you’re doing. And if things feel complicated, or you’re already getting pressure to settle fast, reaching out to a lawyer who handles Los Angeles car accidents every day can make the road ahead a lot less confusing.
Those small choices, made calmly in the middle of a very stressful situation, can make a real difference in how well you recover, physically, financially, and mentally, after a crash on LA’s streets.
