The first hour after a crash

These steps apply in every state. Your state page adds the exact rules, like when police must be called and how long you have to file.

Illustration of two cars after a crash on a highway, a warning triangle, a phone dialing 911 and a checklist
  1. 1

    Make the scene safe

    Turn on your hazard lights. If anyone is hurt, call 911 first and don't move an injured person unless there's danger, like fire.

  2. 2

    Call the police

    Most states require a police report when someone is hurt, and many require it for damage too. Your state page shows the exact rule.

    Find your state
  3. 3

    Exchange information

    Get the other driver's name, address, license plate, insurance company and policy number. Give yours. Don't argue about who caused it.

  4. 4

    Take photos

    Photograph both cars, the plates, the road, skid marks, traffic signs and any injuries. Write down names and numbers of witnesses.

  5. 5

    Get checked by a doctor

    Some injuries show up a day or two later. A same week visit also creates a record that links the injury to the crash.

  6. 6

    Write down your deadlines

    Every state sets a deadline to sue, and some set a much shorter one when a government vehicle or road is involved.

    Find your state

Browse by question

What do I do now?At the scene, the days after, insurance rules and deadlines for your state. How do I get the crash report?Who files it, where to request it, fees and wait times. Do I need a lawyer?How fault is shared, how long you have and how injury lawyers can charge. What is my claim worth?Six questions, then what claims like yours actually paid in your state.

Pick your state

The tag shows how each state handles injury claims. In no fault states your own insurance pays first, no matter who caused the crash.

Diagram: in at fault states the driver who caused the crash pays through their liability insurance; in no fault states your own insurance pays your medical bills first

We show you the law's own words

Most accident guides tell you to check your local laws. We did it for you: 897 rules across 51 jurisdictions, each quoted from one of 652 official pages and opened again by an automatic checker.

How we check every fact

“shall immediately stop such vehicle at the scene of such accident or as close to the scene as possible”

C.R.S. 42-4-1601(1) (injury or death); 42-4-1602(1) (damage only); 42-4-1603(1) (information and aid), Colorado

Questions people ask us

Is Know My Claim a law firm?

No. We are an independent guide. We don't represent anyone, and reading a page here doesn't create a lawyer relationship.

Is this legal advice?

No. Each page explains what a state's law says and links to the law itself. For advice about your own crash, talk to a licensed lawyer in your state.

Where do the facts come from?

From state legislature statute sites, state insurance departments, motor vehicle agencies, state police and court rules. Every rule shows the exact words from the source and a link.

How current is it?

Every fact on the site was opened and checked on September 17, 2026. Each page shows that date, and each source link lets you confirm the rule has not changed.

Why is a topic missing for my state?

If we could not confirm a rule from an official source, we leave it out rather than guess. That is why some states have no section on moving your car or on medical payments coverage.

Do law firms pay to appear here?

Not today. If a firm ever sponsors a page, its box will be labeled Sponsored, it will sit after the steps, and it will never change what the steps say.

How do I report a mistake?

Email hello@knowmyclaim.com with the page and what looks wrong. We check the source again and fix the page.

Find your deadline before it passes

Some states give you one year to sue. Some give six months to notify a city or county.

See all 50 states and DC