Right after impact, your priority is medical care—but your next steps can also determine whether your claim stays strong.
- Get checked even if you feel “mostly okay.” Concussions, soft-tissue injuries, and delayed back/neck symptoms are common after pedestrian impacts.
- Document the scene while it’s fresh. If you can, take photos of:
- the crosswalk or corner location
- traffic signals and signage
- lighting conditions (especially at dusk)
- vehicle damage position and road debris
- Write down details while memories are reliable. Note the direction of travel, whether the driver appeared distracted, and what you remember about stopping distance.
- Collect witness information. In local neighborhoods and near transit-oriented areas, people may move quickly—get names and contact details immediately.
- Be careful with insurance statements. In California, insurers often use your words to dispute severity, timing, or causation.
If you’re thinking about using an “AI lawyer” or a chatbot to draft answers, treat it as a starting point for questions—not as a substitute for legal review of what you should and shouldn’t say.


