At the scene
- Check for injuries and call 911. Ask for police and medical help.
- Get out of live traffic if you can. Work zones often have no shoulder. Move to the safest place available.
- Photograph the zone. Walk it back in your mind: the warning signs on the approach, the cones and barrels, the lane lines, the pavement, barriers, equipment, and lighting. Take wide shots from your direction of travel.
- Photograph the vehicles and your injuries.
- Collect names. Drivers, passengers, witnesses, and any workers who saw what happened. Note the company name on trucks, equipment, and project signs.
- Stick to the facts with police. Describe what happened. Do not guess about fault.
In the next few days
- See a doctor right away and follow through on treatment. Gaps in care are used against injured people.
- Save dashcam footage before it is recorded over.
- Go back and photograph the zone again if it is safe and you are able, or ask someone to. Note anything that has changed.
- Report the crash to your own insurer.
- Do not give a recorded statement to another driver's or a contractor's insurer, and do not sign releases, before talking with an attorney.
- Keep everything: bills, receipts, repair estimates, letters, and a simple journal of your symptoms and missed work.
- Hold off on repairs to your vehicle, motorcycle, or bicycle until it has been photographed thoroughly.
Why speed matters
Contractors keep traffic control plans, daily logs, and inspection records, and some projects have cameras. A prompt written request to preserve those records can make the difference in proving what the zone looked like on the day you were hurt.
Most Nevada injury lawsuits must be filed within two years, and some claims have other deadlines. Learn who can be held responsible.