Skip to content
While people may be nice at the scene of the crash, it isn't unusual for them to change their story the next day.

The day after my accident, the other driver changed their story about what happened. What do I do now?

Unfortunately, this happens often. While people may be nice at the scene of the crash, it isn’t unusual for them to change their story the next day. That is usually because they think if they can create a good story, they may be able to reduce their culpability for the collision. Sometimes this works. Most often it does not, particularly if you seek experienced legal counsel to represent you.

Above all else, you want a police report of the crash, as it provides evidence for later when you file a claim. So, by all means, when you are in a wreck, call 911. Many insurance companies do not feel an accident claim is credible if there is no police report. Additionally, if the stories told by the other side are written down by the police, it is far more difficult to change them later without major issues. Police reports document the drivers’ descriptions of what happened. 

Of note is that the police report is something your car accident attorney can use to build a solid case for compensation for your injuries. To that end, it is helpful, if you can do so, get as much information as you can about the other driver(s). It’s useful to get the driver’s name, address, insurance company, proof of insurance card, and the driver’s license number. You can even just snap a photo of it with a cellphone.

One other very important thing is to get the names and contact information of any eyewitnesses. Do that if you can because it is rare for the police to do it. I often hear from clients that the police talked to witnesses only to find that the police did not document the name or contact information for the witnesses. So you need to do what you can to get witness information. And eyewitnesses can make a huge difference to your claim. Plus, if you do not get eyewitness information, it is even more difficult to obtain it later, if at all. Their testimony can often mean the difference between receiving compensation or not.

Other Car Accident FAQs: