Your first priority is medical care. Beyond that, the decisions you make in the first days after the crash can affect your ability to prove what happened.
Consider these immediate steps if you can do so safely:
- Request copies of your crash record (including incident reports) and keep a personal timeline of events.
- Preserve the vehicle information: VIN, make/model/year, and any repair orders tied to the restraint system.
- Document symptoms and treatment. Airbag-related injuries sometimes evolve after the initial visit.
- Avoid deleting or losing digital evidence. If you have photos, dashcam footage, or messages about the crash/repairs, back them up.
If you suspect a known safety issue connected to your vehicle, don’t assume it automatically means you’ll recover. In New Jersey, the case still has to connect the defect to the injuries you actually suffered.


