Crash types
Six kinds of crash, and what each one involves
The kind of crash shapes everything after it: who is responsible, which insurers are involved and which records matter.
Car crashes
Rear-end, side-impact and intersection collisions, and crashes involving more than two vehicles.
What usually comes up
- Who had the right of way, and what the signals showed
- Damage photos and where each car came to rest
- Both drivers’ policies, and their limits
Truck and commercial vehicles
Semi-trucks, delivery vans, buses and company vehicles, where an employer and its insurer are involved too.
What usually comes up
- Driver logs and on-board data
- Maintenance and inspection records
- Which company operates the vehicle
Motorcycle crashes
Riders are more exposed and often face assumptions about speed and visibility from the start.
What usually comes up
- Helmet and gear damage, kept as they are
- Witnesses to the other vehicle’s movements
- Road surface and visibility at the time
Rideshare and delivery
Crashes involving app-based drivers, as a passenger, another driver or someone on the street.
What usually comes up
- Whether the app was on and a trip accepted
- Screenshots of the trip and the driver
- The company’s policy alongside the driver’s
Pedestrians and cyclists
People on foot or on a bicycle struck by a vehicle, at a crossing, in a parking lot or on the road.
What usually comes up
- Crossings, signals and lighting
- Nearby cameras that may have recorded it
- Your own auto policy, which may still apply
Serious injury and loss of life
Crashes that change what someone can do, or take someone from their family.
What usually comes up
- Long-term care and future medical needs
- Lost income now and later
- Who can bring a claim for a family
Worth gathering
Useful for any kind of crash
- The date, time and exact place of the crash
- The police report number
- Photos of every vehicle, the road and your injuries
- Witness names and phone numbers
- Every insurer’s name and claim number
- Dates of every medical visit
- Letters and emails from insurers
- Records of work you have missed
Not sure what to do next?
Tell us what happened and we will point you to the right guide, or pass your request to an accident attorney if you ask us to.