---
title: What to Do After a Car Accident
description: The steps you take after a car accident are critically important to your health, your insurance, and your ability to pursue legal action if necessary.
image: http://www.spinalcord.com/hubfs/What_to_Do_After_a_Car_Accident.jpg
---
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# What to Do After a Car Accident
Author: [Spinal Cord Team](https://www.spinalcord.com/meet-our-authors)
Publish Date: December 08, 2020
More than [30,000 people die in car accidents each year](https://www.spinalcord.com/blog/10-startling-car-accident-statistics), making them the ninth-leading cause of death in the United States. Car and motorcycle accidents are also the [leading cause of spinal cord injuries](https://www.spinalcord.com/causes-of-non-traumatic-traumatic-spinal-cord-injuries), and give rise to thousands of personal injury lawsuits each year. If you have been in a car accident, you might not feel lucky, but you survived, and that counts for something.
The steps you take after a car accident can affect whether you are able to pursue legal action for your injuries, how quickly your car can be repaired, and whether you are charged for your role in the accident. A car accident is a scary thing that we all hope never happens to us. If it happens to you, begin putting the pieces back together with these steps.
## **Protect Your Safety**
In most cases, the other driver will not cause additional violence. But if he or she seems angry or aggressive, your first priority should be seeking safety. Lock the doors to your car if you are able. Turn on your phone's video camera, since being filmed can often deter people who are aggressive or violent.
## **Call the Police **
State and local laws regarding when you *must* call the police in the event of an accident vary, but its never a bad idea to call the police to see if they can help. Doing so ensures you are safe, particularly if the other person gets aggressive. It also creates documentation of the incident that can help you if you end up [pursuing a lawsuit](https://www.spinalcord.com/brain-spinal-cord-injury-lawyer-where-to-start). And if you are legally required to call the police and do not, you could face a range of charges.
## **Get the Other Driver's Information **
You will need the other driver's information to pursue a claim with his or her insurance company. Jot down the other driver's insurance information, phone number, address, and vehicle description. Don't forget about the license plate! If the other driver attempts to take off, a simple photo of his or her car's license plate will be all you need to track him or her down.
## **Document Damage to Your Car **
Documenting the physical scene of the accident, including any damage to your car, can help you prove your claim in court, or defend yourself against a false claim. It may also be a prerequisite to getting your claim paid by an insurance company. Take photos of your car from all angles, and get photos of the accident scene and the other driver's car as well. For an even stronger effect, try taking video, which is much effective at showing the full complexity of the accident scene. Seek help from others nearby with this part if you are unable yourself.
## **Seek Medical Care**
Some injuries, notably spinal cord injuries, are apparent from the very start. Others, including some head injuries and some forms of internal bleeding, may not produce symptoms right away—especially if you're experiencing an adrenaline rush or are in shock. If your car accident was anything more than a fender bender, you hit any part of your body, or were hit by a flying object, you need to be checked by a doctor.
A doctor is the only person who can prove that your injuries actually happened, so if you suffer a severe injury that requires legal action, medical care is vital. Moreover, prompt intervention when you have been injured can prevent minor injuries, such as whiplash, from turning into more serious injuries, such as [intractable chronic pain](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1071146/).
Continue to follow up with your medical provider. If you stop seeking treatment or don't follow your doctor's recommendations, the insurance company could use this in an attempt to prove that you're not really as injured as you claim. And that could potentially destroy your lawsuit or chance at a settlement.
## **Document Your Injuries **
Though a doctor's report can help you document your injuries, if your injuries are severe enough, you may need more. The more documentation, the better, so consider doing the following:
- Keep a log of your pain, its severity, and the frequency with which it occurs.
- Retain copies of all X-rays and medical reports.
- Contact your doctor whenever you have a new symptom.
- **Take photos of your injuries, as well as the incident that caused them. For instance, if you were hit in the head by a flying object, take a photo of the object to demonstrate its size and location. **
## **Talk to an Attorney **
If you were injured, do not talk to the insurance company without the assistance of a lawyer. Insurers are in the business of devaluing claims, so they will do just about anything to pay as little as possible.
**Only a lawyer can properly evaluate your claim.**
Don't try to go it alone, since important deadlines, legal procedures, and esoteric legal standards can all make it challenging to win your case. The sooner you can talk to a lawyer, the better, since the steps you take in the early days after a car accident may affect whether you eventually win your case.
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**Topics:** Spinal Cord Injury
### Stay Updated on Advancements On Traumatic Brain & Spinal Cord Injuries
About the Author
#### Spinal Cord Team
The authors of Spinalcord.com are made up of attorneys, those in the medical field, and survivors of spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injuries. Learn more about our team of authors including a brief biography that explains how they impact the SCI and TBI community.
[Learn More About the Author](https://www.spinalcord.com/meet-our-authors)
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true
### Spinal Cord Injury
- [Types of Spinal Cord Injuries](https://www.spinalcord.com/types-of-spinal-cord-injuries)
- [Secondary Complications](https://www.spinalcord.com/secondary-complications-after-sci-spinal-cord-injury)
- [Causes](https://www.spinalcord.com/signs-symptoms-of-spinal-cord-injuries)
- [Symptoms](https://www.spinalcord.com/types-of-spinal-cord-injuries)
- [Prognosis](https://www.spinalcord.com/prognosis-of-spinal-cord-injuries)
- [Legal Help](https://www.spinalcord.com/spinal-cord-injury-legal-help-get-a-lawyer)
### Brain Injury
- [Types of Brain Injuries](https://www.spinalcord.com/types-of-traumatic-brain-injury)
- [Causes](https://www.spinalcord.com/causes-of-traumatic-and-acquired-brain-injuries)
- [Symptoms](https://www.spinalcord.com/traumatic-brain-injury-tbi-symptoms)
- [Prognosis](https://www.spinalcord.com/brain-injury-prognosis-for-tbi-abi)
- [Legal Help](https://www.spinalcord.com/brain-injury-legal-help-get-a-lawyer)
### Finding Treatment
- [Physician Directory](https://www.spinalcord.com/brain-and-spinal-cord-injury-physician-directory)
- [Rehabilitation Directory](https://www.spinalcord.com/spinal-cord-injury-hospitals-rehabilitation-directory)
- [Technology Advancements](https://www.spinalcord.com/sci-technology-advancements)
- [Prevention](https://www.spinalcord.com/spinal-cord-injury-prevention)
### Legal Options
- [Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer](https://www.spinalcord.com/spinal-cord-injury-lawyer)
- [Brain Injury Lawyer](https://www.spinalcord.com/brain-injury-lawyer)
- [Types of Personal Injury Claims](https://www.spinalcord.com/types-of-personal-injury-claims)
- [Where To Start](https://www.spinalcord.com/brain-spinal-cord-injury-lawyer-where-to-start)
- [Local Assistance](https://www.spinalcord.com/florida-personal-injury-claims)
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Spinal cord injuries are traumatic for patients and their families. They cause disruptive changes to every aspect of your life and there is a lot of new information to navigate and understand. Our experts have collected everything in one place to help you learn more about your injury, locate doctors and treatment centers, find financial support, and get assistance navigating your next move.
[Learn More About SpinalCord.com →](https://www.spinalcord.com/about-us)
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"articleBody" : "The spinal cord is a vital part of the human body. As the vehicle responsible for carrying messages from the brain to the rest of the body and back again, even the smallest interference can be detrimental. Following a traumatic spinal cord injury, this bundle of nerves can become bruised, also known as a contusion. Because of the nature of the nervous system, any interference can constitute a serious spinal contusion, but these facts will help you dissect all of the information from the medical professionals.\n\nWhat Is a Spinal Contusion?
\n![\"Signs-of-a-spinal-contusion-title-image\"](\"https://www.spinalcord.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog-Images/Signs-of-a-spinal-contusion-title-image-min.jpg?width=300&name=Signs-of-a-spinal-contusion-title-image-min.jpg\")
\nMuch like any other bruise, a contusion can cause bleeding from local blood vessels and inflammation which, rather unlike bruises on other parts of the body, can have serious negative impacts on the spinal cord itself. Because the “blood must clot to stop the bleeding”a bruise results from contusions also increase cardiovascular risks.
\nFor example, the swelling a contusion can cause will often disrupt nerve impulses that travel from the brain to the body through the spinal cord, and the severity of this will depend upon the level of injury. Unlike a concussion, a contusion would not cause unconsciousness or a ‘blackout’, but instead cause the patient to feel a numbness or tingling in the extremities.
\nA contusion can cause spinal compression, which happens when there is pressure on the spinal cord. This can go on to cause an array of physical symptoms such as loss of sensation in the feet, inability to use the hands and loss of sexual ability. It must be noted that not all contusions cause spinal compression, and not all spinal compression is caused by a contusion, although they do often connect this way.
\nWarning Signs of a Serious Spinal Contusion to Watch For
\nFirstly, doctors will try and establish what area or limb the injury has affected. Spinal contusions most often “affect the upper extremities bilaterally and also sometimes involve the lower extremities,” according to Dr. Wong, an orthopedic physician.
\nSymptoms include “numbness, tingling, [or] electric shock-like sensations and burning in the extremities,” (American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 2016). Generally falling into the category of “spinal trauma” there are many symptoms which are similar to other forms of spinal trauma and spinal cord injury. Below are some symptoms of spinal trauma:
\n\n- Spinal shock — or the "loss of feeling or movement below site of injury" (Columbia University Medical Centre, 2016) that can last between hours and weeks
\n- Loss of bladder or bowel function
\n- Difficulty breathing
\n- Muscle spasticity
\n- Difficulty understanding speech
\n- Problems with attention
\n- Memory challenges
\n- Heart rate and blood pressure problems
\n
\nUnfortunately, it is sometimes challenging to identify which symptoms are due to a spinal contusion, and which ones are the result of a spinal cord injury directly. It can sometimes require a few days or weeks for the body to recover from spinal trauma and reveal if any permanent damage is left from the accident that caused the SCI.
\nUnderstanding what a contusion is, and how it can come into play following a spinal cord injury is important in order to clearly appreciate your injury, understand your diagnoses, and work toward treatment and a prognosis. Doctors can sometimes use jargon that’s difficult to understand, so the more you can educate yourself about your condition, the more control you can have in your recovery and treatment.
\nIf you still have questions about the details of the spinal cord and how it may be affected from your injury, please contact us or download our guide to understanding a spinal cord injury.",
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"description":"The spinal cord is a vital part of the human body. As the vehicle responsible for carrying messages from the brain to the rest of the body and back again, even the smallest interference can be detrimental. Following a traumatic spinal cord injury, this bundle of nerves can become bruised, also known as a contusion. Because of the nature of the nervous system, any interference can constitute a serious spinal contusion, but these facts will help you dissect all of the information from the medical professionals.
What Is a Spinal Contusion?
Signs-of-a-spinal-contusion-title-image
Much like any other bruise, a contusion can cause bleeding from local blood vessels and inflammation which, rather unlike bruises on other parts of the body, can have serious negative impacts on the spinal cord itself. Because the “blood must clot to stop the bleeding”a bruise results from contusions also increase cardiovascular risks.
For example, the swelling a contusion can cause will often disrupt nerve impulses that travel from the brain to the body through the spinal cord, and the severity of this will depend upon the level of injury. Unlike a concussion, a contusion would not cause unconsciousness or a ‘blackout’, but instead cause the patient to feel a numbness or tingling in the extremities.
A contusion can cause spinal compression, which happens when there is pressure on the spinal cord. This can go on to cause an array of physical symptoms such as loss of sensation in the feet, inability to use the hands and loss of sexual ability. It must be noted that not all contusions cause spinal compression, and not all spinal compression is caused by a contusion, although they do often connect this way.
Warning Signs of a Serious Spinal Contusion to Watch For
Firstly, doctors will try and establish what area or limb the injury has affected. Spinal contusions most often “affect the upper extremities bilaterally and also sometimes involve the lower extremities,” according to Dr. Wong, an orthopedic physician.
Symptoms include “numbness, tingling, [or] electric shock-like sensations and burning in the extremities,” (American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 2016). Generally falling into the category of “spinal trauma” there are many symptoms which are similar to other forms of spinal trauma and spinal cord injury. Below are some symptoms of spinal trauma:
Spinal shock — or the loss of feeling or movement below site of injury (Columbia University Medical Centre, 2016) that can last between hours and weeks
Loss of bladder or bowel function
Difficulty breathing
Muscle spasticity
Difficulty understanding speech
Problems with attention
Memory challenges
Heart rate and blood pressure problems
Unfortunately, it is sometimes challenging to identify which symptoms are due to a spinal contusion, and which ones are the result of a spinal cord injury directly. It can sometimes require a few days or weeks for the body to recover from spinal trauma and reveal if any permanent damage is left from the accident that caused the SCI.
Understanding what a contusion is, and how it can come into play following a spinal cord injury is important in order to clearly appreciate your injury, understand your diagnoses, and work toward treatment and a prognosis. Doctors can sometimes use jargon that’s difficult to understand, so the more you can educate yourself about your condition, the more control you can have in your recovery and treatment.
If you still have questions about the details of the spinal cord and how it may be affected from your injury, please contact us or download our guide to understanding a spinal cord injury.",
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