Car accidents truly do happen in seconds. One minute, you’re driving to work on the Long Island Expressway or running errands around town. The next, you’re suddenly dealing with a damaged vehicle, potential injuries, and a lot of questions about what you should do next.

Most people find it tough to think clearly during those first few moments following a crash. However, the steps you take immediately at the scene, as well as in the days that follow, can be critical for protecting your health and your legal rights.

79,976 car accidents occurred in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in 2024, and 21,677 resulted in injury, per the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Crash Records Center. If you find yourself among the thousands of Long Islanders who suffer a crash each year, knowing what to do before you’re faced with the situation may make all the difference.

Your very first priority following any crash, no matter how minor, should always be safety. If you’re able to move your vehicle out of active traffic, that can help prevent another collision from occurring. Otherwise, turn on your hazards, exit your vehicle, and get to a safe area.

Once there, check yourself and your passengers for any injuries. If another vehicle was involved, you should also exchange information with the other driver, including names and contact information, driver’s license information, license plate numbers, vehicle information, and insurance information. 

Remember that a camera can only record what falls within its field of view. So, if you have a front-facing dashcam, it might clearly capture what happened directly ahead of your car while missing something occurring behind you or beside you. And depending on the accident, this means your device could miss another driver’s actions leading up to a crash, a pedestrian outside the frame, hazardous road conditions, or other contributing circumstances.

And even footage that seems clear can sometimes leave room for varying interpretations. That’s why attorneys generally evaluate dashcam footage alongside other pieces of evidence, such as police reports, photographs, witness statements, vehicle damage, medical records, and any other surveillance video from the area.

When put together, these pieces can provide a more well-rounded picture than just one camera angle alone.

The same principle applies when dealing with insurance companies. Even though an adjuster might consider dashcam footage while investigating your claim, don’t just assume they’ll watch the recording and automatically interpret it the exact same way you did. They may argue the footage is inconclusive, focus on details you personally deem unimportant or irrelevant, or use other evidence to challenge your recollection of events.

So, again, dashcam footage should be treated as one piece of a larger puzzle as opposed to automatic proof of fault. And before handing a recording over to your insurance company, it’s wise to have a personal injury attorney review what it does (and doesn’t) show. 

If anyone is injured or killed in a New York car accident, you are legally required to notify the police. There are also situations where calling the police may be important, even if no one appears seriously injured.

For instance, you may need emergency assistance if the vehicles are creating a hazard in the road, another driver leaves or attempts to flee the scene, you suspect the other driver was under the influence, or there is a dispute over what happened.

Regardless, having the police respond will always create an official record of your accident. After arriving, the responding officer will gather accounts of what happened and document other details about the collision that could prove pertinent later. 

Not every car accident injury is immediately obvious. Consider how shocking it is to go from cruising down the road as usual to sitting at the scene of your own crash. This extremely stressful shift can trigger your body’s “fight-or-flight” response, in which adrenaline and endorphins work together to temporarily numb pain receptors and block injury signals from reaching your brain.

That’s why, as some victims begin to process their accidents, they initially think they’re fine, only to notice neck pain, back pain, headaches, stiffness, or other symptoms hours or even days later. But waiting to seek care simply because you don’t notice the pain immediately could potentially worsen your injuries (and make it harder to prove your injury stemmed from the crash if you choose to file a claim later).

So, seek medical care and get evaluated after any collision. And if you do begin experiencing symptoms, be honest about what happened and describe your injuries as accurately as possible.

Receiving treatment helps establish documentation linking your injuries and treatment to the accident. Conversely, waiting a significant time to talk to your doctor may cause the insurance company to question whether your injuries were really caused by the crash or are as serious as you say they are. 

Next, if you are physically able to do so safely, document the accident scene. Within mere hours, vehicles may be moved, debris will be cleared from the road, and weather conditions could change. But photos and videos help preserve the key details showing what contributed to and transpired during your collision.

Try to photograph or record the damage to all the vehicles involved, where each vehicle wound up, and skid marks or debris. Additionally, it can be helpful to take a few wider photographs or videos showing the overall scene, including traffic lights, stop signs, intersections, and other road or weather conditions. Taking pictures of your injuries is a good idea, too.

Finally, if anyone else witnessed your accident, ask for their name and contact information. An independent witness may be particularly valuable if you and the other driver later disagree about how the crash occurred. 

Now, if the police do respond to your accident, make sure you obtain a copy of the resulting report. Again, it creates a written record of your crash and, moreover, may contain other important information documented by a third-party source.

But drivers in New York should be aware that a police report and a report to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) are not the same thing.

Under Section 605 of New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law, if an accident causes an injury or death or more than $1,000 in property damage to any one person (including yourself), each driver is generally required to file a Report of Motor Vehicle Accident (MV-104) with the DMV within 10 days. Failing to do so may result in the DMV suspending your license until the report is on file.

So, keep copies of both the police report and your DMV paperwork together, as well as any medical records, photographs, receipts, or other documents related to the accident. Hold onto everything, because you never know what could become useful later. 

What you say after an accident can matter just as much as the actions you take. Amidst all the stress and confusion, it’s natural to try to make sense of what happened or even apologize. But you must avoid admitting fault, guessing about the cause of the accident, or making statements you aren’t absolutely sure are accurate.

At the scene, stay calm, cooperate with the police if they’re present, exchange the required information, and stick to only the facts you know. Don’t make any statements or apologies that could be taken out of context and used against you later.

You should also be careful online. If you’re active on social media, refrain from sharing any photos, videos, captions, comments, check-ins, or other types of posts, whether they’re related to your accident or not. Because should you choose to file a personal injury claim, these posts could potentially be used to challenge the extent of your injuries.

Lastly, if the other driver’s insurance company reaches out to request a recorded statement, know that you are not required to provide one. Remember that their insurance company is representing their interests, not yours. So no matter how kind or friendly the adjuster may seem on the phone, be cautious about what you say and don’t feel pressured to answer their questions. 

In the aftermath of a car accident, things can start to move rapidly. While you’re focusing on fixing your vehicle, healing from injuries, and getting your life back on track, insurance companies are already beginning their own process of investigating the crash and protecting their bottom line.

So, don’t wait until you run into a problem with your claim to consider speaking with an attorney. You generally have three years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. But getting representation early can put your case on stronger footing from the start and lead to better outcomes.

Your attorney will investigate exactly what happened, obtain and preserve important evidence, speak with witnesses, communicate with insurance companies, and make sure important deadlines aren’t overlooked. You should especially consider securing legal representation if:

● You sustained a serious or possibly long-term injury

● Fault is disputed

● Multiple vehicles or parties were involved

● The other driver was uninsured or underinsured

● An insurance company is minimizing your injuries or claim

● You’ve missed work or incurred significant medical expenses due to your crash

At Langella & Langella Personal Injury Attorneys, we have decades of experience handling serious car accident cases on Long Island. We’re here to help you take the next steps, with no strings attached. Contact us today for a Free Consultation at (631) 348-9500.