What people who’ve actually been in a car crash want you to know
What do other real people who’ve been there say, when looking back after their car accident is all over and done? What advice do survivors have for others who may be facing the aftermath of a car crash?
Car accident advice from personal injury attorneys is found all over the Internet. You can even see our Enjuris recommendations for when you’re in a car crash.
Useful stuff (we hope). But a recent post on Quora caught my attention, where several people (46 at last count) had written their personal accounts of a car crash in which they or their passengers had been injured.
They tell what the experience of the crash was like, as well as how it is still affecting them years later.
Within that post were several snippets of advice that I wanted to pass along to you. Consider them lessons learned from those who have been there.
By the way, if you don’t know about Quora yet, their tagline sums it up: “The best answer to any question”. It’s a platform for real people to answer real questions. So when I saw the question posed about what it’s like to be in a car crash, I knew I had to read it. (I have a fear of being in a car accident.)
At the time I didn’t even realize it would spark this post, but the idea formed as I saw people mentioning how an attorney helped them and advice for others, and realized I wanted as many people as possible to learn from those experiences documented.
The Quora post is mega long, and I’d encourage you to read the details of each car crash if you want to experience the human side of what happens during those unthinkable moments. But for now I’m going to pull out a few gems of advice for you about car accidents here.
Go to the hospital and get checked out – even if you don’t want to. Just do it.
Don’t try to play tough, even if you think you’re not hurt. So many people recounted feeling they were fine only to discover later they actually had been injured in the crash. They just didn’t notice because of shock, or the natural inclination to resist medical attention.
From a legal standpoint, this can be more important than you might think.
Kelly says: “My advice: if you’re ever in an accident and they ask if you want to go to the hospital – Do it. Even if you think you aren’t hurt, go and get checked. The insurance company fought so hard not to pay, because they insisted if I’d been injured, I would have gone to the hospital at that moment.
In the end, I got a payment from the other driver’s insurance company – the max they were liable for. I’m going to tell you – for the pain I’ve been in since that day, it wasn’t near enough.”
Logan chimes in with his experience and advice from his car crash:
“I refused treatment and refused the ambulance (honestly, at the time it just seemed like I whacked my head a bit and I felt like wanted to go home and sleep). So, eventually we all went back to my ex girlfriends parents place, and we were just chilling and decompressing when her stepdad goes ‘hey, you have some blood coming out of your ear and nose. You should probably go to the ER.” And then when I touched the back of my head, I could kind of push my finger in my head like there was a soft spot (it wasn’t like that initially because of the swelling).
But yeah – never refuse treatment!! And if your friend is driving stupid, make him or her stop or get out of the car. If your gut feels nervous and the driving makes you feel like you’re scared and something could happen, it’s probably right.”
Enjuris Tip: See our ideas for proving negligence in a car accident
Safety advice
Wear your seat belt! Thanks to Douglas for driving home what happens when you’re in a car crash and you aren’t wearing your seat belt, from his first-hand observation:
“My friend did not have her seatbelt on, and ironically I had just chided her about it 10 minutes before. (after this day she always wore one). So the impact sent her into the windshield…”
We can thank another anonymous poster for some advice on avoiding distractions – specifically when you’ve asked someone to help you navigate: Just do what you’re told…
“And now if a passenger is navigating, I don’t help with navigation. I just drive, and I make turns when they ask me to, provided of course that they give me ample warning. My job is to obey the rules. My passenger’s job is to find the route.”
Drive slower if the road conditions call for it. You don’t always need to match the speed limit!
Since his accident, Chris says, “Now I have a rule for myself – if my windshield wipers are on, I slow down.”
If you’re expecting help from insurance…
Anonymous, who says he (or possibly she) rallied and raced cars, notes, “Your insurance doesn’t cover high-speed accidents, whether on public roads or on track (trust me here, if you’re going more than 90 mph you’re on your own).”
Enjuris tip: 5 Steps to Properly Filing an Insurance Claim Following a Car Accident
We can have an enormous impact on each other as we go about our day
Another anonymous contributor sums it up: “The over-riding feeling I have is that we can so easily affect other people’s lives – this lady it turns out was rushing to her daughter’s birthday party, and I am left not being able to walk for 2 months because of someone else’s actions.”
Have you been in a car crash? What’s your advice to others?
Sridevi Alla says
I am taking right waited to make sure it was clear for me to take the right turn and proceeded to take a right turn when other car came speeding. I stepped on my brake and stopped my car immediately as I was going very slow, about 10-15 miles an hour, it stopped immediately. other car that was coming straight in high speed swerved to the left and went on divider line, to avoid hitting me. Both stopped and checked no seen injuries. But they claim now for under car damage because of going on divider. How to handle this? Thanks
Lance Buchanan says
Thanks for sharing your story, Sridevi. Was a police report filed? If so, that may indicate who was “at fault” for the incident. If not, you’ll want to consult a personal injury attorney to discuss your liability. It can vary depending on which state you live and other specifics about the case. Feel free to use our free online directory to find an attorney near you: https://www.enjuris.com/directory/. Good luck!
Karl says
Going down a main road entered an intersection with a green light, a car on the cross street turns right on the red light. I smash my breaks couldnt change lanes because traffic in left lane i smash his car from gas cap to left rear bumper. Witness stops gives me her number and says i saw him pull out in front of you. Cop agrees with my story and it reflects it in the police report. Accident happened on the 13th of December thier insurance waits and beats around the bush until today the 10th of january to admit liability. Since i live somewhere where they dont have adjusters they have me utilize and app to take pictures for the adjustment. Now i wait for contact. But my question is, ive been wothout my car for 28 days having to find rides to work and elsewhere, they told me to pick a place to have it fixed im assuming ill now get a rental car and my cars value is diminshed if i go to sell it again. What are my options to recover funds that i had to pay while not having my car for 28 days or am i s.o.l . Also how do i recover lost value of my vehicle. I havnt been in a car accident in over 13 years and this process is agrivating the adjuster acts like its no big deal
Ian Pisarcik says
Karl,
I’m sorry this happened to you. The insurance company of the at-fault driver is responsible for reimbursing you for the cost of your rental car. Unfortunately, this process doesn’t always go as smoothly as it should. If you feel like you are being dragged along, I would recommend reaching out to a personal injury attorney in your area.
Lee Paladin says
You have shared Absolutely the Best Advice: Go to the hospital, no matter how you feel. Too often this can make the difference between getting the best care or No care!
Martin Rogalski says
Well explained. Thanks for sharing your story. This is a helpful blog.
Levi Armstrong says
I really like your tip about never refusing medical treatment when you experience a car crash. A friend of mine got into a crash recently and he didn’t go to the hospital immediately. The next day, he experienced severe headaches and collapsed on his front yard. It turns out he was suffering from brain hemorrhage and his insurance won’t pay. Now, his wife is now looking for a car accident lawyer to help him with his case. This would’ve been avoided if he just went to the hospital after the crash.
Melissa Gold says
I’m so sorry this happened to your friend. Yes, sometimes symptoms of serious injury don’t appear right away. When symptoms show up days (or even weeks) later, it’s harder to prove that the injury was caused by the accident. If your friends need a lawyer, please feel free to offer them the Enjuris law firm directory to find someone nearby who can help. Best wishes.
kelly brooke says
I was entertained by this. Thanks for sharing though.
Ian Pisarcik says
Thank you for the comment, Kelly!
Legal Helper says
From Ohio
Also, somewhere I read that you should never say sorry if you think you are going to file a case against them opposite person, because it means that you are fault and can be used against you.
Ian Pisarcik says
After an accident, it’s a good idea to avoid using any language that could be construed as admitting fault. It’s perfectly acceptable (and a good idea) to ask if the other person involved is okay. But I would avoid saying “sorry” or otherwise discussing the accident.
Cornerstone Chiropractic Clinic says
From New
Thanks for sharing this content. very nice!
Ian Pisarcik says
Thanks for the comment!
Karen Myers says
From Oregon
I purchased a car from a dealership. Immedialtely the car went into the shop which actually is unimportant. My friend (at the time) was with me. The dealership offered a loaner car till mine got out of the shop, I do not have a valid license, mine is suspended, however, my friend offered to put the loaner car in his name using his liability insurance and said that i could use the rental car while my car was being repaired. he did the inspection with the salesperson and everything was grand. He signed the borrowed vehicle agreement and initialed all areas. Then i was in an accident 2 days later with car in a drive thru restaraunt. i needed to tow the loaner car. nobody was injured. the only damage was to the loaner car. I notified him immediatly after the accident and he kept stalling on helping me. told my not to report it and not to call the insurance company nor the dealership. now he is ignoring my calls and messages. i have reported it to the dealership and had the vehicle towed there. what do i do now
Melissa Gold says
Hi, Karen. There seem to be several issues here. First, it’s never acceptable (or legal) to drive without a license. If you had the loaner car towed back to the dealership, they will likely deal with your friend and the insurance company if your friend signed for the vehicle. Ultimately, he will likely be held liable for the financial costs of the damages because he is the person who borrowed the car, depending on the terms of the loan agreement. The loan agreement would not allow for him to permit an unlicensed driver to operate the rented car. If you were driving it, unlicensed, with his permission, the rental company will likely hold him responsible. However, you could be charged with driving without a license, and that would be a separate issue.
You don’t necessarily need for your friend to call you back. If you let him know the car was returned to the dealership, I am sure he will be hearing from them directly.
That said, please make sure that before you take possession of the car you just purchased, you get your license up to date!