The first few days after a car accident can feel like a blur. You may be dealing with a damaged vehicle, medical appointments, calls from insurers, time away from work, and the simple stress of figuring out what happens next.
One thing is easy to overlook: evidence doesn’t wait around.
Cars get repaired. CCTV is overwritten. Witnesses forget details. Receipts disappear into drawers. If you’ve been injured in a motor vehicle accident in NSW, keeping a clear record from the beginning can make the claims process much easier later.
Start With What You Can Record at the Scene
If you’re physically able to do so, collect information before everyone leaves.
Photos are especially useful because they capture details you may not remember accurately a week later. Take wide shots showing the overall accident scene, then closer photographs of vehicle damage, number plates, road markings, traffic lights, signs and anything else that may help explain what happened.
Don’t focus only on the obvious damage. A photograph showing where the vehicles ended up, for example, may provide useful context about the collision.
You should also record the other driver’s details and the contact information of anyone who witnessed the crash. SIRA recommends recording driver names, addresses, phone numbers and licence details, along with vehicle details, the exact location, the date and time, and witness information.
If police or an ambulance attended, make a note of that too.
Write Down What Happened While You Still Remember It
Memory is surprisingly unreliable after a stressful event.
You might clearly remember the accident today but struggle with small details several months from now. That’s why writing your own factual account soon afterwards can be useful.
Record things such as:
- Where you were travelling
- Which direction each vehicle was moving
- The approximate time
- Weather and road conditions
- What you saw immediately before the collision
- Where the vehicles stopped
- Who was present
- Any conversations you clearly remember
Stick to what you actually know. There’s no benefit in guessing about speeds, distances or details you didn’t observe.
This record isn’t about creating a dramatic version of events. It’s simply a way of preserving your memory while the incident is still fresh.
Don’t Forget Evidence That Isn’t in Your Phone
Photos are valuable, but they’re only one part of the picture.
Think about evidence created by other people or systems.
A nearby shop, apartment building or business may have CCTV. Your vehicle or another vehicle might have dashcam footage. There could be witnesses who took photographs or videos themselves.
Some of this material may not remain available indefinitely.
If you believe footage exists, record where the camera was located and raise the issue promptly with your insurer or legal adviser. Waiting months before trying to locate footage can make retrieval much harder.
This is one situation where speaking with an expert car accident lawyer may help you understand which records could matter and what steps may be appropriate for preserving them.
Keep Your Medical Paper Trail Together
Evidence isn’t limited to proving how the crash happened. If you’re injured, your records may also help document how the accident affected you.
Seek appropriate medical attention and keep paperwork relating to your treatment.
SIRA advises injured people making a CTP claim to obtain a Certificate of Fitness from a doctor and retain receipts connected with medical treatment. Depending on the circumstances, reasonable and necessary treatment and care expenses may be covered under the NSW CTP scheme.
Create one folder, physical or digital, for accident-related documents. It might contain medical certificates, invoices, pharmacy receipts, appointment information and correspondence concerning treatment.
That simple habit saves you from hunting through emails and drawers months later.
Record How the Injury Affects Your Work
An injury doesn’t have to keep you completely bedridden to affect your income.
Perhaps you miss several shifts. Maybe you return to work but can only manage reduced hours. If you’re self-employed, cancelled jobs or reduced capacity can create a less obvious financial loss.
Keep evidence of your earnings from before and after the accident.
Payslips, employer records and other income documents can help establish what you were earning before the crash. SIRA specifically advises claimants to provide proof of earnings when seeking income support.
For self-employed people, record cancelled work and keep relevant financial records rather than trying to reconstruct everything months later.
Save Correspondence With Insurers
Insurance claims generate paperwork quickly.
Emails, letters, forms and claim numbers can become difficult to track, particularly if you’re dealing with more than one type of insurance.
Keep copies of what you send as well as what you receive.
When you have a phone conversation about the claim, consider making a simple note containing the date, who you spoke with and the main points discussed. You don’t need to write a transcript. A short factual record is usually much easier to refer back to than relying on memory.
Avoid deleting emails simply because an issue appears to have been resolved. A question that seems minor now may become relevant later.
Know the Difference Between Injury and Property Claims
This distinction catches people out.
NSW Compulsory Third Party insurance, commonly called CTP or a Green Slip, deals with injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents. It doesn’t cover damage to vehicles or other property.
That means the paperwork for repairing your car and the documentation connected with your injuries may relate to different claims.
Keeping separate folders can make things clearer. One can contain vehicle repair quotes, towing expenses and property-related correspondence. Another can hold medical documents and information connected with your injury claim.
Pay Attention to Claim Deadlines
Good evidence isn’t much help if important deadlines are missed.
Under the current NSW CTP scheme, an application for personal injury benefits generally needs to be lodged within three months of the accident. If you want weekly payments backdated to the day after the accident, the claim generally needs to reach the insurer within 28 days.
A police event number is also normally needed for a CTP claim, and the accident should be reported to police as soon as possible.
Different rules can apply depending on the type of compensation being pursued and the circumstances of the accident. If you’re uncertain about a deadline, check it rather than assuming you have plenty of time.
Build the File as You Go
You don’t need an elaborate filing system.
Create a folder and add material whenever it arrives. Keep photographs, witness details, medical paperwork, income records, receipts and insurer correspondence in one organised place.
The goal is simple: don’t rely on your future self to recreate what happened.
After a crash, some of the strongest evidence may exist only briefly. Recording and preserving it early gives you a clearer account of the accident, your injuries and the financial impact if questions arise later.
