The moments after a car accident feel like chaos; your adrenaline is surging, the other driver is out of their vehicle, and you’re trying to figure out what just happened on one of Bergen County’s busy roads. What you do in those first 24 hours matters more than most people realize, and the steps you take right now will shape everything that comes after.
If you’ve been hurt in a crash in Hackensack or the surrounding Bergen County area, our Hackensack car accident attorney, Luis Martinez, may be able to help you pursue the compensation you deserve. With 34 years of personal injury experience and deep roots in this community, Luis handles every case personally; you get his cell phone number on day one, not a case manager.
Call 911 and Stay at the Scene
The very first thing to do after any collision is to call 911. Even if the crash seems minor, a police report creates an official record of what happened, where, and who was involved. In Hackensack, officers will respond to the scene, document the facts, and assign a report number you can use when filing your insurance claim.
While you wait, do not leave the scene. Leaving before police arrive, even if you feel fine or believe the accident was minor, may expose you to serious legal consequences under New Jersey law. Stay calm, move to a safe area if possible, and wait for help.
Seek Medical Attention Right Away
Go to the emergency room or urgent care on the same day as the crash, even if you don’t feel injured. Many of the most serious injuries from car accidents, such as whiplash, concussions, soft tissue damage, and internal bleeding, do not produce immediate symptoms. You may feel fine in the parking lot of Route 4 and wake up the next morning barely able to move.
Getting checked out promptly does two things: it protects your health, and it creates a documented link between the accident and your injuries. Insurance adjusters look for any gap between the date of the crash and the date of your first medical visit. If that gap exists, they will use it to argue your injuries came from somewhere else.
Document Everything at the Scene
If you are physically able to do so safely, gather as much information as possible before leaving the scene.
- Photos: Take pictures of both vehicles, the surrounding road, any skid marks, traffic signals, and your visible injuries.
- Driver information: Get the other driver’s name, license number, insurance carrier, and policy number.
- Witnesses: Ask any bystanders for their names and contact information. Witnesses become harder to locate with every passing day.
- Weather and road conditions: Note whether there was construction, poor lighting, or hazardous pavement, particularly relevant on roads throughout Bergen County, where conditions vary significantly.
The details you capture in those first minutes are often the most accurate record of what actually happened.
Notify Your Insurance Company
Report the accident to your own insurance carrier the same day. New Jersey is a no-fault state, which means your own insurance typically covers your initial medical expenses regardless of who caused the crash. Most policies require prompt reporting, and waiting too long can give an insurer grounds to complicate or delay your claim.
When you talk with your insurance company, stick to the facts of what happened, when, and where. Do not speculate about fault, and do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company without first speaking with an attorney. Insurance adjusters are trained to gather information that may be used to reduce or deny your claim.
Understand the Legal Deadline
According to the New Jersey Courts, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is generally two years. For car accident cases, that clock starts on the date of the crash. Missing this deadline will almost certainly mean losing your right to any compensation, no matter how strong your case might otherwise be.
Two years sounds like plenty of time, but evidence fades quickly. Surveillance footage from intersections and businesses gets overwritten within days or weeks. Witnesses move or forget details. Physical evidence at the scene disappears. The sooner you speak with an attorney, the better positioned you are to preserve what matters.
What If the Crash Involved a Truck or Commercial Vehicle?
If you were hit by a tractor-trailer, delivery truck, or other commercial vehicle, your case involves additional layers of complexity. Commercial carriers are subject to federal regulations, and multiple parties, including the driver, the trucking company, and a third-party logistics contractor, may share liability. These cases require a different investigative approach from the start.
Do Not Make These Common Mistakes
The 24 hours after a crash are also a window where critical mistakes happen. Do not post anything about the accident on social media; even a seemingly innocent update may be taken out of context by an insurance adjuster. Do not accept a quick cash settlement from another driver at the scene. And do not delay seeing a doctor because you’re hoping the pain will go away on its own.
It is also worth knowing that if you were injured somewhere other than inside a vehicle, for example, as a pedestrian struck while crossing a Hackensack street, your rights are governed by the same principles. We handle slip and fall accidents in Hackensack and other premises liability matters across Bergen County as well.
Contact Luis Martinez After a Hackensack Car Accident
The first 24 hours after a collision set the foundation for everything that follows, and having experienced legal guidance early in that process makes a real difference. Attorney Luis Martinez has been representing injured people throughout the Hackensack area since 1990. He knows these roads, these courts, and the insurance tactics that play out in Bergen County cases. He is also a Certified Civil Trial Attorney, a designation held by fewer than 1% of attorneys licensed in New Jersey, and a former municipal judge who has seen both sides of the courtroom.
When you call our office, you reach Luis directly. He built this practice on a simple idea: call a lawyer, not a billboard. Every client gets Luis’s personal cell phone number, and he personally handles each case from the initial consultation through resolution. If you or someone you know was hurt in a car accident in Hackensack or the surrounding Bergen County communities, reach out through our contact form to get started. He speaks English and Spanish.
Call me on my cell phone 201-846-7100 anytime.