Documents to keep after a California car accident
Accident information is easier to use when it is organized and preserved. This checklist helps you prepare for a conversation with the firm. It is not a substitute for emergency assistance, medical care, or advice about a filing deadline.
1. Record the basic accident details
Write down the date, approximate time, location, and the vehicles involved. Keep the other drivers’ contact and insurance information if available. If you do not remember a detail, mark it as unknown. Separate what you personally saw from what someone later told you.
2. Preserve original photos and witness information
Save original photos of the scene, vehicle damage, and visible injuries, when you have them. Keep witness names and contact details. Avoid editing the originals or overwriting them with marked-up versions. Note where each item came from.
3. Keep reports and insurance correspondence
Save a police report number and the report if you have obtained it. Keep claim numbers, letters, emails, and messages from insurers. Make a dated note of calls and who you spoke with. Check insurance reporting requirements rather than assuming an inquiry to a law firm satisfies them.
4. Organize treatment and expense records
Keep medical bills, appointment information, and doctor reports you already have. Record expenses and retain receipts. Do not send detailed medical documents through this website’s initial questionnaire; ask the firm how to provide documents appropriately.
5. Document missed work
Keep information showing dates you missed work and income you lost. Pay records and communications with your employer may help explain the loss. Distinguish actual losses from estimates.
6. Ask about deadlines promptly
The California Courts note that deadlines apply to personal injury cases and that government claims can have shorter deadlines. Your own deadline depends on the facts. Ask an attorney to identify it rather than relying on this checklist.
What if I do not have all these documents?
You can still request a review. Explain what you have and what is missing. A conversation can help identify the next questions; it does not guarantee that the firm will accept the case.