In many Elk River cases, the timeline is tight. People are focused on ER care, specialists, and transportation to appointments—while insurance claims begin quickly. The decisions made in the first days can shape what an insurer later says your case is worth.
**Within 72 hours, focus on: **
- Medical follow-through: keep every appointment and ask providers to document symptoms, restrictions, and prognosis.
- Incident documentation: if safe, write down what you remember—road conditions, traffic flow, lighting, warning signs, and how the crash occurred.
- Preserve key evidence: photos of injuries, vehicle damage, intersections/locations, and any scene details that may be lost.
- Be cautious with statements: recorded statements can be used to narrow your claim.
If the injury is catastrophic, you don’t need to “figure out the whole case” immediately. But you do need to avoid preventable mistakes while evidence is still obtainable.


