Many people wait until they “know the full extent” of the harm. But in the first days and weeks after a crash, workplace incident, or premises accident, other parties may move quickly:
- Insurers request recorded statements early
- Medical paperwork arrives in pieces (and diagnoses may evolve)
- Evidence gets overwritten (dash cams loop; surveillance retention is limited)
- Witnesses can be hard to reach once people return to work and life
At the same time, California injury law requires attention to timing and procedure. If you delay too long, you can lose the ability to prove causation and the true impact of your injuries—especially when symptoms change over time.


