The moments after a car accident are often chaotic and overwhelming. You may be in pain, in shock, or unsure of what to do next. Having a clear plan — even in general terms — can help you protect both your health and your legal rights.
Here is a step-by-step guide to what you should do after a car accident in Kansas City or the surrounding area.
Step 1: Check for Injuries and Call 911
Your safety and the safety of others comes first. If anyone is injured — or if you’re unsure — call 911 immediately. Do not try to diagnose your own injuries or assume you’re fine just because you don’t feel pain. Adrenaline can mask pain for hours after an accident.
If the accident is minor and no one appears to be injured, you’re still required to stop and remain at the scene under Missouri and Kansas law.
Step 2: Move to Safety If Possible
If the vehicles are drivable and you are not seriously injured, move them to the shoulder or a nearby parking lot to avoid blocking traffic and reducing the risk of a secondary accident. Turn on your hazard lights.
If the vehicles cannot be moved — or if moving them would be unsafe — stay with your vehicle and wait for emergency services.
Step 3: Get a Police Report
Even in minor accidents, it’s important to call police and get an official accident report. This report documents the facts of the accident, including the location, the vehicles involved, statements from the parties, and the officer’s assessment of what happened.
In Missouri, you must report accidents to police if:
- Anyone is injured or killed
- Property damage appears to exceed $500
Kansas requires reporting if:
- Anyone is injured or killed
- A vehicle cannot be driven from the scene
Even if reporting isn’t technically required, having a police report is valuable evidence for any insurance claim or legal proceeding.
Step 4: Document the Scene
While you wait for police or while things are being sorted out, document the accident scene thoroughly. Use your phone to photograph and/or video:
- The positions of all vehicles before they’re moved
- Damage to all vehicles involved
- License plates of all vehicles
- The surrounding area — road markings, traffic signals, signs
- Skid marks, debris, or other physical evidence
- Any visible injuries you sustained
- Weather and road conditions
- Any business surveillance cameras in the area that may have captured the crash
This visual documentation can be critical if the other driver or their insurance company later disputes what happened.
Step 5: Exchange Information
Get the following from every driver involved in the accident:
- Full legal name
- Driver’s license number
- License plate number
- Insurance company name and policy number
- Contact phone number
Also note the make, model, year, and color of all vehicles involved. If there are multiple at-fault parties — for example, if a third vehicle was involved — get information from all of them.
Step 6: Get Witness Information
If anyone witnessed the accident, ask for their name and phone number. Bystander witnesses — people with no stake in the outcome — can be powerful evidence in a disputed liability situation.
Note the names and badge numbers of any police officers who respond to the scene.
Step 7: Seek Medical Attention — Even If You Feel Fine
This cannot be emphasized enough. Go to the doctor after your car accident, even if you feel okay.
Some of the most serious injuries from car accidents — including traumatic brain injuries, internal bleeding, and soft tissue injuries to the spine — do not immediately produce obvious symptoms. Pain from whiplash and herniated discs can develop over days. Feeling “fine” at the scene does not mean you weren’t seriously hurt.
Beyond your health, seeking prompt medical attention is important for your legal claim. Insurance companies use gaps between an accident and medical treatment to argue that your injuries aren’t serious or weren’t caused by the accident.
Step 8: Report the Accident to Your Insurance Company
Notify your own insurance company of the accident, even if the other driver was clearly at fault. Most policies require prompt notification of any accident.
However: Be careful what you say. Stick to the basic facts — where and when the accident happened — and let your attorney handle the rest. Do not speculate about fault. Do not describe your injuries in detail until you’ve been fully evaluated by a doctor. Do not agree to a recorded statement without consulting an attorney.
Step 9: Do Not Talk to the Other Driver’s Insurance Company
This is critical. After an accident, the at-fault driver’s insurance adjuster may contact you quickly — sometimes within hours. They’ll seem friendly and helpful. They’re not. Their job is to pay you as little as possible.
Do not:
- Give a recorded statement
- Accept any settlement offer
- Sign any release or documents
- Discuss your injuries or their severity
Politely tell them you’ve retained an attorney, or that you need time to consult with one before speaking with them. Then do exactly that.
Step 10: Keep Detailed Records
From the moment of the accident forward, keep records of everything:
- All medical appointments, treatments, and providers
- All medications prescribed
- Medical bills and receipts
- Receipts for any out-of-pocket expenses (transportation to appointments, prescription co-pays, etc.)
- Documentation of missed work days and lost income
- Notes about how your injuries are affecting your daily life — pain levels, activities you can’t do, effects on sleep
These records document the real cost of your injuries and form the foundation of your damages claim.
Step 11: Consult a Personal Injury Attorney
If you were injured in the accident — even if you think your injuries are minor — consulting with a personal injury attorney is worth your time. Initial consultations are free at most firms, including GroverLawKC.
An attorney can:
- Advise you on the true value of your claim
- Handle all communications with insurance companies
- Ensure your rights are protected throughout the process
- Identify all available sources of compensation
- Advise you on when (and when not) to settle
Don’t wait too long. Evidence can disappear. Witnesses’ memories fade. And Missouri and Kansas have statutes of limitations that can bar your claim if you wait too long.
When to Call GroverLawKC
If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Kansas City or Overland Park, contact GroverLawKC as soon as possible. The consultation is free. We handle car accident cases on a contingency fee basis — you pay nothing until we win for you.
Call (816) 533-3969 — available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.