The first 24 hours after an accident: what to record, keep and avoid
The evidence that decides injury claims is often created — or lost — in the first day. A practical, printable guide to protecting your health first and your claim second.
After a serious incident — a collision, a fall, an injury at work or in a shop — the first day matters twice over. It matters for your health, which always comes first. And it matters for the evidence, because the record of what happened is at its strongest, and most fragile, in those first hours.
Health before everything
See a doctor or clinic as soon as possible, even if you feel more shaken than hurt. Some serious injuries — head injuries, internal injuries, soft-tissue damage — show themselves late. Early medical attention protects you, and it also creates the first independent record connecting the incident to the injury.
Record what happened
- Write down your own account while it is fresh: where, when, how, who was involved, what was said.
- Photograph the scene, the conditions and your injuries, if it is safe and appropriate to do so.
- Get names and contact details of witnesses. A first name and phone number is enough — attorneys can do the rest later.
- If the incident happened at a business, report it to management and ask that it be entered in the incident book. Note who you spoke to.
- If the police attended or a case was opened, keep the reference number.
Preserve, don't improve
Keep documents and objects exactly as they are. Do not wash the clothing you wore, repair damaged items, or tidy up the record. Originals in their honest state are worth far more than a cleaned-up version — to your own attorney most of all.
- Keep every medical record, script, referral note and account.
- Keep tickets, receipts, or proof you were where you were.
- Ask businesses to preserve CCTV footage — many systems overwrite within days.
What to avoid
- Do not accept quick settlement offers or sign documents from insurers or representatives before getting advice.
- Do not post detailed accounts of the incident or your injuries on social media.
- Do not guess at facts when reporting — say what you know, and say when you do not know.
- Do not interfere with any official investigation; preserving your own evidence never requires that.
Time limits on claims can be short, and this website cannot determine or preserve legal deadlines for you. If you think you may have a claim, contact an attorney promptly.
About this article. General legal information for South Africa, current at the last review date shown above. It is not legal advice, it may not reflect changes in the law since review, and reading it creates no attorney-client relationship. For advice on your own situation, see Motor vehicle accidents / RAF or contact the firm.