How your case starts often matters as much as what happens later. Before you talk to insurance, focus on the steps that protect your health and your claim:
- Get medical care right away (even if you feel “okay”). Some pedestrian injuries—concussions, soft-tissue damage, and internal trauma—can worsen hours or days later.
- Report the crash and make sure the details are captured accurately. If police were called, obtain the incident information.
- Document the scene if you can do so safely: vehicle position, crosswalk/signage, traffic-control devices, lighting conditions, and any visible debris.
- Collect witness info. In smaller communities, people may assume “someone else will handle it.” Don’t rely on that.
- Preserve phone footage. Dashcam and nearby doorbell camera video can be overwritten or deleted quickly.
If the driver may be difficult to identify—such as in a hit-and-run—acting fast is even more important. Early documentation can be the difference between a claim that moves forward and one that stalls.


