Arizona · Personal injury · Trial-ready representation
A practical, step-by-step checklist for the first 24 hours after an Arizona car crash — and the quiet mistakes that hurt cases later.
The first 24 hours after a crash are the moments when your case is most easily strengthened — or quietly weakened. Adrenaline hides injuries, the at-fault driver’s insurer moves quickly, and the most useful evidence is the easiest to lose.
Top priorities
At the scene
Check on everyone
Yourself, your passengers, the other driver and any pedestrians. Call 911 immediately for any injury.
Move to safety if possible
If your vehicle can move and the scene is dangerous (live travel lane), move it to the shoulder or nearest safe location.
Call the police
A formal report puts your account on the record. Even "minor" crashes benefit from one.
Photograph everything
All vehicles from multiple angles, the strike point, road conditions, traffic controls, debris field, lighting, your visible injuries, the other driver's license and insurance card.
Get witness contact info
Names, phone numbers, and a one-line account of what they saw. Witnesses scatter quickly.
Stay civil but limited in what you say
Don't apologize, don't admit fault, and don't speculate about how the crash happened. Stick to facts.
See a doctor
Even if your symptoms seem minor. Adrenaline routinely masks soft-tissue, head, and internal injuries.
Notify your own insurance
A short factual report — not a long, speculative one. You have a duty to notify.
Save what you wore
Especially in pedestrian or premises cases — clothing and footwear can be evidence.
Write down what you remember
Sequence of events, weather, traffic, road conditions, your route, what the other driver said. Memory fades fast.
Follow every medical referral
Gaps in care are the single most common way insurers reduce settlements.
Keep a recovery journal
Pain levels, sleep, missed work, things you can't do that you used to. Specific entries are powerful evidence later.
Don't post about it on social media
Defense lawyers screen everything. Even innocent posts get used against you.
Decline recorded statements to the other insurer
You're not legally required to give one. They're looking for sound bites that minimize the case.
Don't accept a quick settlement
The first offer is almost never the best. Once you sign a release, the case is over.
Talk to an attorney
The conversation is free and shouldn't feel like a sales pitch. The right call early often makes the difference between a fair recovery and pennies on the dollar.
Free consultation
Every case is different. A short call with a Big Dog Law attorney can answer the question that actually matters for your situation.
