What to Do in the First 24 Hours After a Delivery Accident

At the Scene: Safety, Police, and Documentation

Step 1: Ensure your safety. If you are able to move and it is safe to do so, move away from active traffic. Do not attempt to move an injured person unless they face immediate danger from remaining in the road.

Step 2: Call 911. Request both police and emergency medical services. A police report creates an official record of the accident, identifies the driver, documents the driver's statements, and records any traffic citations. In California, a police report is frequently important for later insurance negotiations and litigation.

Step 3: Document everything you can at the scene. Use your phone to photograph:

• All vehicles involved, including license plates, damage, and vehicle identification numbers visible through the windshield
• Delivery bags, platform logos, or app displays visible in the vehicle
• Road conditions, traffic signals or signs, skid marks, and debris patterns
• Your injuries, torn clothing, and damaged personal property
• The overall accident scene from multiple angles

Step 4: Collect witness information. Ask bystanders for their names and phone numbers before they leave. Witness accounts of the driver's behavior — whether they were looking at a phone, how fast they were traveling, and where they were on the road — can be critical if the platform disputes liability.

Identifying the Platform and Driver

Delivery accident insurance coverage depends entirely on which platform the driver was working for and what their app status was at the time of the accident. Gather as much identifying information as possible:

• Driver's full name, license number, and personal auto insurance information
• Vehicle make, model, year, color, and license plate
• Name of the delivery platform visible on any bags, vehicle decals, or the driver's app screen
• The driver's account of what they were doing at the time of the crash (on an active order, waiting for one, logged off)
• The USDOT number if visible on a commercial vehicle

If the driver was operating multiple delivery apps simultaneously, document that. The dual-app scenario creates coverage conflicts between platforms that can affect how much insurance is available and how quickly it is paid.

Seeking Medical Care

Seek medical evaluation even if you feel only minor pain or discomfort at the scene. Several common injury types from delivery accidents — including soft tissue injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and internal organ damage — may not produce obvious symptoms for hours or days after the crash.

A gap between the accident and your first medical visit creates an argument for the opposing insurer that your injuries were not caused by the accident or are less serious than claimed. Continuity of medical care beginning close to the accident date supports your injury claim.

If you receive emergency treatment, keep all discharge paperwork, follow-up instructions, and prescription records. Request copies of imaging studies (X-rays, CT scans, MRIs) and associated radiology reports. These records form the foundation of your injury documentation.

Contacting Your Own Insurer

Notify your personal auto insurer of the accident as required by your policy, typically within a reasonable time after the event. This is especially important if:

• The delivery driver was uninsured or their coverage is disputed
• The driver's platform coverage is insufficient for your injuries
• You carry uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage that may apply

Reporting the accident to your own insurer does not mean making a claim against your own policy — it preserves your options. Delayed reporting can be used by insurers to deny UM/UIM claims on grounds of prejudice or late notice.

When contacting your insurer, provide factual information about the accident date, location, and the other driver's information. Do not speculate about fault or discuss the extent of your injuries in detail until you have had time to be fully evaluated medically.

What to Avoid in the First 24 Hours

• Do not give a recorded statement to the delivery platform or the driver's insurer. Adjusters for the opposing party may contact you within hours of the accident. You are generally not required to give a recorded statement to a third-party insurer. Statements made while in shock, before medical evaluation, and before you fully understand the extent of your injuries can be used against you later.
• Do not accept a quick settlement offer. An offer made within hours or days of an accident is almost certainly lower than the full value of your claim. Once you settle and sign a release, you typically cannot pursue additional compensation even if your injuries turn out to be more serious than initially apparent.
• Do not post about the accident on social media. Photographs, check-ins, activity data, and statements made on social media platforms are routinely reviewed by defense counsel and insurers to contest injury severity.
• Do not throw away damaged property. Damaged clothing, helmets, bicycles, and other physical evidence should be preserved as-is and not repaired until an attorney has had the opportunity to evaluate the evidence.

When to Contact an Attorney

In delivery accident cases, consulting a California personal injury attorney as early as possible — ideally within the first few days of the accident — serves several practical purposes:

• An attorney can send a litigation hold letter to the delivery platform before platform records and GPS data are automatically deleted, which can happen within weeks of an accident.
• An attorney can coordinate with your medical providers to ensure records are being created and preserved in a form useful for your claim.
• An attorney can handle all communication with the opposing insurer, protecting you from statements made before you understand the full value of your claim.
• An attorney can evaluate which parties — the driver, the platform, a DSP subcontractor, a vehicle manufacturer — may bear liability and in what proportion.

California's personal injury statute of limitations is two years under CCP § 335.1. While two years may seem like a long window, critical evidence preservation deadlines arise within days to weeks of the accident. Early attorney involvement ensures those deadlines are met.