Updated August 29, 2026
What you do in the first days after a crash shapes everything that follows, from the insurance claim to any legal case. The checklist below covers the steps that matter most in California.
At the scene
- Get to safety and call 911 if anyone may be hurt. Some injuries surface hours or days later.
- Exchange names, driver's license numbers, insurance details, and plates with every driver involved.
- Photograph the vehicles, positions, street signs, skid marks, debris, and any visible injuries.
- Collect names and phone numbers of witnesses before they leave.
- Ask for a police report even for a seemingly minor crash. It becomes the neutral record.
- Do not argue fault or apologize at the scene. Fault gets decided later, on evidence.
Within the first days
- See a doctor promptly and follow through on care. Gaps in treatment are the first thing insurers point to when they argue an injury was minor or unrelated.
- File the DMV's SR-1 form within 10 days if anyone was injured or killed, or property damage exceeds $1,000. California requires this from each driver involved, regardless of fault, on top of any police report.
- Notify your own insurance company promptly. Your policy requires cooperation with your own insurer.
- Be careful with the other driver's insurer. You are generally not required to give their adjuster a recorded statement; see our guide on dealing with the insurance adjuster.
- Start a file: report numbers, medical visits, receipts, repair estimates, missed work days, photos.
Deadlines that can end a claim
- Two years from the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit in California (Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1), with limited exceptions.
- Three years for property damage claims.
- Six months to present a government claim when a public entity is involved, such as a city vehicle, a transit bus, or a dangerous road condition (Government Code section 911.2). This one surprises people, and missing it can end the case before it starts.
Need the collision report itself? Here is how to get a police report in Long Beach. And if the injuries are serious or the insurance company is disputing what happened, a free consultation costs nothing and settles what your options are.
This page is general information for Long Beach residents, not legal advice about any specific situation. Agency fees and procedures change; confirm details with the agency before you rely on them.
