The two days after a crash are the ones people most often look back on and wish they had handled differently. Not because anyone did anything wrong, but because nobody explains the sequence in advance.
This is general information about how the process usually unfolds in Arizona. It is not advice about your situation. An attorney can tell you what applies to you.
Get looked at, even if you walked away
Some injuries from a crash do not announce themselves on day one. Neck, back and head injuries in particular often feel worse two or three days later. Being checked early also creates a medical record close to the event, which matters later for reasons an attorney can explain.
Expect a call sooner than you think
The other driver's insurance company may contact you quickly, sometimes within a day. They will often ask for a recorded statement. That call is routine for them and unfamiliar for you.
What is easy to lose in the first 48 hours
- The police report or incident number, if one was taken.
- Photographs of the scene, the vehicles and anything on the road, before things are moved or repaired.
- Names and phone numbers of anyone who stopped and saw what happened.
- The name of the adjuster who called you, and which company they work for.
- Your own memory of the order things happened in. Writing it down the same day is worth more than trying to reconstruct it weeks later.
Things that are commonly misunderstood
People often assume that if the police did not come, or if no report exists, nothing can be done. An attorney can tell you what else can establish what happened.
People also assume an early offer is the only offer. Whether an offer is reasonable is exactly the kind of question worth putting to an attorney before you sign anything, because signing usually closes the matter for good.
There are time limits
Arizona sets time limits on injury claims, and they vary depending on the circumstances and who was involved. We are not attorneys and we will not tell you what yours is. An attorney can, and it is one of the first things worth asking.