Your next decisions can affect both medical outcomes and legal leverage. When people wait too long (or rely only on informal advice), insurers later argue the symptoms weren’t caused by the incident.
Focus on three priorities:
- Get evaluated promptly — especially if you have worsening pain, numbness/tingling, headaches, weakness, or limited range of motion.
- Create a clear symptom timeline — note when pain started, whether it spread, and what activities became difficult (driving, lifting, sleeping, working).
- Preserve incident details — write down what happened while it’s fresh. If photos/videos are available (vehicle damage, roadway hazards, lighting conditions, property conditions), save them.
If you reported the incident to a supervisor or property manager, keep copies of incident reports. In California, documentation matters when coverage is disputed.


