Right Now Matters – How to protect your injury claim before the evidence disappears
You’ve just been in a crash. Your car is wrecked, you’re shaken, and your body hurts in ways you don’t fully understand yet. The last thing on your mind is legal strategy. But the steps you take in the first 24 hours — or fail to take — can permanently affect what you’re able to recover.
Evidence disappears fast. Skid marks wash away. Surveillance footage gets overwritten. Witnesses forget what they saw. The other driver’s insurance company is already protecting its interests. You need to protect yours.
Call 911 — Even If You Feel Fine
Always call the police and get an official crash report. And always get medical attention the same day — even if your pain seems minor. Soft tissue injuries, concussions, and internal injuries often don’t show symptoms until later, sometimes even much later. Gaps in medical care give insurance companies ammunition to argue your injuries aren’t serious.
Document Everything at the Scene
If you’re physically able, use your phone to photograph the vehicles, the road, the traffic signals, and any visible injuries. Get the other driver’s name, insurance information, and license plate. Ask any witnesses for their contact information.
Don’t Say You’re Fine — and Don’t Apologize
Apologies and casual statements get used against you. “I didn’t even see you” or “I’m okay” said at the scene can show up in an insurance adjuster’s report and undercut your entire claim. Be cooperative with police. Let doctors determine whether you’re injured.
The Myth: Your Own Insurance Company Is on Your Side
It isn’t. Your insurer’s job is to limit payouts. When an adjuster calls quickly — and they will —they are not trying to help you. Do not give a recorded statement without speaking to an attorney first. You are under no legal obligation to provide one.
Preserve Everything
Keep the clothes you were wearing. Don’t repair your vehicle until it’s been photographed and documented. Save every medical bill, receipt, and piece of paperwork. Write down a timeline of how your symptoms are progressing each day. That contemporaneous record becomes evidence.
Talk to a Minnesota Personal Injury Attorney — Before It’s Too Late
Minnesota’s personal injury statute of limitations is six years for most car accident claims under Minn. Stat. § 541.05, but evidence preservation must start immediately. The sooner you have an attorney working your case, the more leverage you have.
At Pacyga Trial Lawyers, we fight for injury victims across Minnesota. Call us now at 612-339-5844. The consultation is free. Your case starts today.