What to Do After a Car Accident in Philadelphia (2026 Step-by-Step Guide)

Philadelphia recorded 123 traffic fatalities in 2023, the most of any Pennsylvania county, and over 7,000 crashes occur in the city every year. If you were just in one, the decisions you make in the next few hours can determine whether your claim succeeds or fails.

Insurance companies move fast. Evidence disappears within days. And Pennsylvania’s insurance rules can quietly eliminate your right to pain and suffering compensation if the wrong steps are taken early.

This guide covers exactly what to do, in order, from the moment of impact through hiring an attorney.

Step 1: Check for Safety and Move Out of Traffic

Your first priority is preventing additional harm, not gathering evidence.

Check yourself and your passengers for injuries. If the vehicles are drivable and it is safe to do so, move them to the shoulder or a nearby parking area to clear the travel lane. Turn on your hazard lights immediately.

If anyone may have a neck or spinal injury, do not move them unless there is an immediate danger, such as fire or a fuel leak. Moving a person with an unstable spinal injury can cause permanent paralysis.

If you are on a high-speed road such as Interstate 95, the Schuylkill Expressway, or Roosevelt Boulevard, stay well clear of moving traffic once you exit your vehicle. Place road flares or emergency triangles behind the vehicle if you have them.

Step 2: Call 911 and Get a Police Report

Call 911 even if the crash appears minor. Under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3746, you are legally required to report any accident involving injury, death, or vehicle damage serious enough to require towing. The responding officer documents the scene, records statements from both drivers, notes road and weather conditions, and files an official crash report. This report is your most credible single piece of evidence of who caused the accident. If the officer issues a citation to the other driver, that citation becomes powerful evidence of fault.

If police cannot respond to the scene, file a report at your nearest Philadelphia Police district as soon as possible. You must also submit a PennDOT Driver’s Accident Report (Form AA-600) within five days of the crash. Failure to file can result in a suspension of your driving privileges.

Note the responding officer’s name and badge number before leaving the scene.

Step 3: Get Medical Attention the Same Day

Go to an emergency room, urgent care center, or your physician the same day as the crash, even if you feel fine at the scene.

Adrenaline and shock mask pain. Traumatic brain injuries, internal bleeding, herniated discs, and soft tissue damage frequently produce no symptoms at the scene and become fully apparent 24 to 72 hours later. By the time the pain appears, the insurance company’s adjuster may already be arguing that your injuries are unrelated to the crash.

Tell the treating physician exactly what happened: the crash, the direction of impact, and every symptom you notice, including headache, neck stiffness, back pain, dizziness, numbness, or blurred vision. This initial medical record creates the documented link between the accident and your injuries.

Keep every bill, prescription receipt, and transportation cost from the day of the crash forward. These are your economic damages.

For more, read: What Medical Records Matter Most in Philadelphia Car Accident Cases.

Step 4: Document the Scene Before You Leave

If you are physically able and it is safe to do so, document the crash scene thoroughly before anything is moved. No detail is too small.

Photograph:

• All vehicles involved – front, rear, both sides, and close-ups of damage
• The point of impact: skid marks, debris, and fluid on the road
• Traffic signals, road signs, lane markings, and intersection geometry
• Any visible injuries to yourself or passengers
• The other driver’s license, registration, and insurance card
• Weather conditions and road surface

Look for nearby cameras. Philadelphia Police run the SafeCam program, which catalogs private surveillance cameras across the city. Businesses along crash routes – gas stations, convenience stores, pharmacies, and ATMs frequently have exterior surveillance cameras. This footage is typically overwritten within 30 to 60 days. Note any cameras you can see from the scene.

For a complete documentation checklist, read: How to Document Your Philadelphia Car Accident for Maximum Recovery.

Step 5: Collect Witness Information

Independent witnesses – people who saw the crash and have no connection to either driver- provide some of the most powerful evidence available in disputed liability cases.

If anyone stopped or was nearby when the crash happened, collect their information before they leave:

• Full name and phone number
• Home address, if they are willing to share
• A brief description of where they were standing and what they saw

Witness memories degrade meaningfully within weeks. A witness who cannot be reached two months later is effectively lost to your case. Get their information now.

Step 6: Exchange Information and Know What Not to Say

Exchange the basic information required: your license, registration, and insurance card in exchange for theirs. That is the limit of necessary communication with the other driver at the scene.

Do not:

• Apologize, even with phrases like “I’m sorry, are you okay?” This can be characterized as an admission of fault.
• Say you are not hurt or that you feel fine.
• Discuss how the accident happened or who was responsible.
• Agree to handle the matter without a police report.

Pennsylvania is a modified comparative negligence state. Even a small admission of fault at the scene can reduce your recovery. If your assigned fault reaches 51% or more, you are barred from recovering anything.

Step 7: Report to Your Insurance Company Carefully

You are required by your policy to report the crash to your own insurer promptly. Failing to report can void your coverage. However, reporting and giving a recorded statement are two completely different things.

When the adjuster calls, whether from your insurer or the other driver, you are not legally required to give a recorded statement. Adjusters are trained to ask questions in ways that produce answers that reduce or deny claims. Do not give a recorded statement before speaking with an attorney.

Do not sign anything the adjuster sends you. Medical authorization forms, property damage releases, and early settlement checks all contain language that can end your claim, sometimes both the property damage and the injury claim at once. A “full and final” release means your case is over, even if your injuries get worse next month.

If the other driver had no insurance or insufficient coverage, your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may be your primary source of compensation. For more on navigating insurance company contact, read: What to Do When the Adjuster Calls.

Step 8: Preserve Evidence in the Days After the Crash

The days immediately after the crash are critical for evidence that cannot be recovered later.

• Write a detailed account of what happened while memory is fresh: time, location, road conditions, what you saw before impact, and what was said at the scene.
• Save every text message, email, and voicemail related to the accident.
• Do not repair your vehicle until an attorney or expert has reviewed the damage. Vehicle repairs destroy black box (EDR) data.
• Continue all medical treatment without gaps. Missed appointments are the most common reason insurers reduce legitimate injury claims.
• Save any damaged clothing or personal property from the crash.

Step 9: Call a Philadelphia Car Accident Attorney Before the Adjuster Calls Back

The single most consequential step most people delay.

When the Law Offices of Greg Prosmushkin is retained:

• We send preservation letters immediately to businesses, government agencies, and vehicle custodians to secure surveillance footage and black box data before it disappears.
• We issue a representation letter so all adjuster contact routes through our office, not you.
• We review your insurance policy for your tort election, UM/UIM coverage, and first-party medical benefits.
• We identify every potentially liable party: not just the driver, but employers, vehicle owners, bars, and government entities where applicable.

Greg Prosmushkin is a six-time Pennsylvania Super Lawyer (2021 through 2026), a Keenan Trial Institute Master Graduate, and has recovered over $100 million for injured clients across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including a $2.3 million settlement for a car accident victim in Northeast Philadelphia.

Call 215-799-9990 or request your free case review online. No fee unless we win. Available 24/7.

Mistakes That Will Cost You Your Case

Insurance adjusters in Philadelphia are trained specifically to find reasons to reduce or deny claims. These are the most common mistakes we see:

• Waiting to see a doctor. Every day without medical documentation gives the insurer ammunition to argue your injuries predated the crash or were caused by something else.
• Giving a recorded statement without an attorney. You are not required to give one. Doing so almost always damages your claim.
• Posting on social media. Defense investigators monitor Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. A photo from a family dinner two weeks after the crash becomes Exhibit A against your pain and suffering claim. Post nothing until your case is resolved.
• Accepting the first settlement offer. Initial offers are designed to close claims before you understand the full extent of your injuries. Once you sign a release, the case is over.
• Missing medical appointments. Treatment gaps are the single most common reason legitimate injury claims are reduced.
• Apologizing or admitting fault at the scene. These statements are evidence.

For a complete breakdown: 7 Mistakes That Can Ruin a Philadelphia Car Accident Case

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Have to Call the Police After a Car Accident in Philadelphia?

Yes, if there are injuries, death, or significant property damage. Pennsylvania law requires reporting such accidents. If police do not respond, file a report at your local Philadelphia Police district and submit a PennDOT Driver’s Accident Report within five days. Always call 911 when in doubt – the police report is your most credible evidence.

What If I Did Not Get a Police Report at the Scene?

File a report with the Philadelphia Police as soon as possible and submit a PennDOT Driver’s Accident Report online at pa.gov. Call an attorney immediately so preservation letters can go out before surveillance footage is overwritten.

Should I Go to The Hospital Even If I Feel Fine?

Yes, or at a minimum, an urgent care center the same day. Adrenaline suppresses pain. Whiplash, concussions, internal bleeding, and herniated discs can be completely painless at the scene and debilitating 48 hours later. Insurance companies treat any gap in treatment as evidence that your injuries were not serious.

Should I Talk to the Other Driver’s Insurance Company?

No, not without speaking to an attorney first. You are not legally required to give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer. Their adjuster’s job is to minimize your claim. Let your attorney handle all adjuster contact.

What If I Cannot Afford a Car Accident Lawyer?

Our firm works on a 100% contingency fee basis: no fee unless we recover compensation. You pay nothing up front. If we do not win, you owe us nothing. Call 215-799-9990 for a free case review.

Can I Settle the Property Damage Without Settling My Injury Claim?

Yes. Property damage and bodily injury are handled as two separate claims. You can repair or replace your vehicle and accept a rental while your injury case stays open. Never sign a property damage release that says “full and final” or “all claims arising from” the accident; that language can wipe out your injury claim, too. Have an attorney review the release before you sign.

How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim in Philadelphia?

Two years from the date of the crash under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524. If a SEPTA bus, city vehicle, or other government entity was involved, you must serve a formal Notice of Claim within six months under the Pennsylvania Tort Claims Act, 42 Pa.C.S. § 5522. Missing either deadline permanently bars your claim.

What If the Other Driver Fled the Scene?

Call 911 immediately and make sure the hit-and-run is reported within 24 hours; without that police report, the phantom-vehicle UM claim can be denied. Write down every detail you can remember: partial plate, color, make, direction of travel, distinctive damage, time, and exact location. Then check nearby businesses for exterior surveillance, that footage is often the only way to identify the other driver.

What If The Other Driver Had No Insurance?

Your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage steps in. Pennsylvania requires insurers to offer UM/UIM coverage. If you accepted it when you purchased your policy, your attorney can pursue a claim against your own insurer. We review policies as part of the free consultation.

Does My Health Insurance Pay My Medical Bills After a Car Accident?

Not first. In Pennsylvania, your own auto insurance pays your medical bills first through first-party medical benefits (PIP), with a minimum of $5,000 in coverage required on every policy. Health insurance is secondary. We review your PIP limits as part of the Free Insurance Review. Many drivers carry the bare minimum and don’t realize it until they’re hurt.

What’s the Difference Between Limited Tort and Full Tort in Pennsylvania?

When you bought your PA auto policy, you chose Limited Tort or Full Tort. Limited Tort costs less but bars you from recovering for pain and suffering unless your injury meets the “serious injury” threshold (75 Pa.C.S. § 1705) or you qualify for a statutory exception, such as a drunk driver, out-of-state plate, uninsured driver, commercial vehicle, or intentional act. Full Tort preserves your right to sue for non-economic damages without restriction. Most drivers don’t remember which they selected. We check your tort election in every free case review.

Talk to a Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer – Free Consultation

The Law Offices of Greg Prosmushkin, P.C. has fought for Philadelphia car accident victims from our Northeast Philadelphia office at 9637 Bustleton Avenue since 1995. Our team speaks English, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, and Italian. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

No fee unless we win. Free consultation.

Call 215-799-9990 or request your free case review online

Consider our Free Insurance Review – we will tell you whether your current auto policy actually protects you the way you think it does.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Philadelphia Car Accident Resources

Level 1 Trauma Centers in Philadelphia

Emergency and Reporting Contacts

GProsLaw Resources

• Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer
• Free Insurance Review
• Personal Injury FAQ
• Case Results
• 7 Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Case
• What Medical Records Matter
• How to Document Your Accident
• What to Do When the Adjuster Calls
• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Claims

Reviewed by Greg Prosmushkin, Philadelphia Car Accident Attorney – May 2026