After you’re hit, the choices you make early can shape whether your claim is taken seriously.
1) Get medical care right away—even if you feel “mostly okay.” Hidden injuries are common after impacts, including concussion symptoms, soft-tissue injuries, and back/neck trauma. In New Jersey, a consistent medical timeline can be critical if the insurance company later questions whether your symptoms are related to the collision.
2) Document the crash while you still can. If you’re able, capture:
- the crosswalk/intersection area
- traffic signals and street lighting conditions
- vehicle location and visible damage
- any skid marks or debris
3) Write down key details before they fade. Who was driving (if known), the direction of travel, weather/visibility, and what you remember about the driver’s actions—this matters a lot in local cases where there may be multiple lanes, turning movements, and heavy traffic flow.
4) If it was a hit-and-run, treat it as urgent. Ridgefield Park residents sometimes experience collisions in areas with frequent through-traffic. If the vehicle fled, act quickly to preserve surveillance information and get a prompt police report.


