After an accident that wasn't your fault, get yourself and others safe first and call 999 if anyone is seriously hurt. Then seek medical help (even if you feel fine), record what happened with photos and notes, collect witness details, and report it to the right body — the police or your insurer for a road crash, the accident book at work, or the shop or council for a public place. Keep every record, don't admit fault, and remember you usually have three years to start a claim.
What you do at the scene and in the days afterwards shapes both your recovery and any compensation claim you might bring. This guide sets out, in plain English, the practical steps to take after a UK accident that wasn't your fault — what to do first, who to report it to, and how to protect your position. Accidental Lawyer is an independent information service, not a law firm; nothing here is legal advice about your own situation. If you think someone else was to blame, an SRA-regulated solicitor can review your evidence, and our overview of how to claim compensation shows the bigger picture.
The immediate steps to take
Whatever the type of accident, the same sequence applies. Work through it in order — safety always comes before evidence, and evidence is never fresher than right now.
Make sure you're safe and get first aid
Move out of danger if you safely can — off a live carriageway, away from machinery or a hazard. Check yourself and others for injuries and call 999 for an ambulance, the police or the fire service if anyone is seriously hurt or there is a continuing danger.
Your safety and everyone else's comes before any photo or note.See a doctor or A&E, even if you feel OK
Some injuries — whiplash, concussion, soft-tissue and internal injuries — surface hours or days later, and adrenaline can mask pain at the scene. See a GP, call NHS 111, or go to A&E. The resulting medical record is key evidence.
No medical record can make even a genuine injury hard to prove.Record what happened
Take photos and video of the scene, any hazard or damage, and your injuries while they are visible. Note the date, time, weather and lighting conditions, and exactly where it happened. A quick voice note while it's fresh works too.
Conditions change fast — capture the scene before anything is cleared.Get witness names & contact details
Ask anyone who saw it for their name and a phone number or email. Note any dashcam, doorbell or CCTV cameras that may have recorded it, and where they are, so footage can be requested before it is overwritten.
Independent witnesses are often the most persuasive evidence of all.Report it to the right body
A road crash: exchange details and report to the police and your insurer. A workplace accident: tell your employer and get it written in the accident book (your employer must report serious cases to the HSE under RIDDOR). A public place: report to the shop or council. An assault: tell the police.
Reporting creates an official record dated close to the event.Keep records and don't admit fault
Keep receipts, payslips and a short symptoms diary, and log any time off work. Don't accept blame at the scene or on social media. Then get advice from an SRA-regulated solicitor — most offer a free first assessment on a no-win-no-fee basis.
Fault is a legal question; let the evidence decide it.💡 See a doctor even if you feel fine
It's worth getting checked over even when you walk away feeling unhurt. Whiplash and concussion frequently appear a day or two later, and the NHS record of that visit ties your injury to the accident. Tough it out, and an insurer may argue your injury wasn't serious — or wasn't caused by the accident at all. A GP visit, an NHS 111 call or an A&E attendance all count.
Road traffic accidents: who to tell, what to keep
The law expects you to stop. Under the Road Traffic Act 1988, you must stop and give your name, address and vehicle details to anyone with reasonable grounds to ask. If you can't exchange details at the scene — for example, the other driver leaves — you must report it to the police, in practice within 24 hours.
Exchange names, vehicle registrations and insurance details with the other driver, and photograph the vehicles, their positions, the road layout and any debris. Gather witness details and dashcam references, then notify your own insurer promptly — most policies require it even if you intend to claim against the other driver. Our road traffic accident claim guide explains the next steps, including the Official Injury Claim route for smaller whiplash claims.
Accidents at work: the accident book and RIDDOR
Report it to your employer or supervisor straight away and make sure it goes in the accident book — workplaces with ten or more employees must keep one, and the entry is an important dated record. Photograph the hazard (a wet floor, a faulty machine, missing guarding) and identify any colleagues who witnessed it.
Separately, your employer has duties to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR), certain serious injuries, specified dangerous occurrences and absences of more than seven days must be reported to the HSE. You don't make that report yourself — your employer does — but knowing it exists helps you check the accident was handled properly, and you can't be lawfully sacked for reporting a genuine workplace injury. See our work accident claim guide.
⚠️ Don't admit fault — and watch social media
Be polite and exchange details, but never say something at the scene that accepts blame, and don't sign anything admitting responsibility. Liability depends on evidence you may not have yet. Be just as careful online: insurers and defendants can and do look at social media. A cheerful holiday photo or an off-hand comment about "my fault" can be taken out of context and used to reduce or reject a claim. When in doubt, post nothing about the accident at all.
Public-place accidents and assaults
If you slip, trip or are injured in a shop, restaurant, car park or other public place, report it to the manager or owner, ask for it to be recorded in their accident book, and request a copy or reference number. Photograph what caused it — the spillage, broken paving, missing sign or poor lighting — because the hazard is often cleared within minutes. For accidents on pavements, roads or in parks, the responsible body is usually the local council.
If you've been injured in an assault or other violent crime, report it to the police and get a crime reference number. As well as any claim against the offender, you may be able to apply to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), a government scheme for blameless victims of violent crime. CICA has its own, shorter time limit — usually two years — so don't delay.
Who to report to and what evidence matters
Reporting goes to a different body depending on where the accident happened, and the evidence that carries most weight varies too — use this as a quick reference.
| Accident type | Who to report to | Key evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Road traffic | Police (if details not exchanged) and your insurer | Other driver's details & insurer, vehicle photos, road layout, dashcam, witnesses |
| Accident at work | Employer + accident book; HSE via RIDDOR (employer's duty) | Accident-book entry, photos of the hazard, colleague witnesses, training/maintenance records |
| Public place | Shop, business or local council | Photos of the hazard, accident-book/incident report, CCTV reference, witnesses |
| Assault / violent crime | Police (crime reference); CICA for compensation | Crime reference number, medical records, photos of injuries, witnesses |
Across all of these, your medical records and a clear account of what happened are the common thread. Our guide to evidence for a personal injury claim covers each category, and the claim process guide shows how it all fits together.
⏳ The three-year time limit
For most personal injury claims, you have three years from the date of the accident — or from the "date of knowledge" that your injury was linked to it — to start a court claim, under the Limitation Act 1980 for England & Wales. Different rules apply to children and to people who lack mental capacity, and CICA assaults have a shorter limit. Acting promptly preserves the claim and the freshest evidence. See our time limits guide.
Evidence checklist
Gather as much of the following as you safely can — your health comes first, but each item strengthens your position.
- Photos and video of the scene, the hazard or vehicles, and your injuries.
- The date, time, weather and lighting, and exactly where it happened.
- Witness names and contact details, plus any dashcam or CCTV references.
- The other party's details — driver and insurer, employer, or business name.
- A copy of any accident-book entry or incident report, or its reference number.
- Your medical records — GP notes, NHS 111 advice, A&E or hospital paperwork.
- Receipts and payslips for treatment, travel, damaged property and lost earnings.
- A short symptoms diary noting pain levels, missed work and cancelled plans.
You can't always control how an accident happens, but you can control what you do next. Get safe, get checked over, write things down — and let the evidence, not a hasty apology, decide who was at fault.
Once you're safe, treated and have gathered what you can, find out whether you have a claim. A short, free conversation with an SRA-regulated solicitor — or free guidance from Citizens Advice — tells you whether someone else was legally at fault. Walk through the full journey in our personal injury claim process guide, and check the time limits so you don't leave it too late.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do immediately after an accident?
Make sure you and others are safe first, and call 999 if anyone is seriously hurt or there is danger. Then get medical help, record what happened with photos and notes, collect witness details, and report the accident to the right body — the police or your insurer for a road crash, the accident book at work, or the shop or council for a public place. Keep all your records and don't admit fault before getting advice.
Should I see a doctor even if I feel fine?
Yes. Some injuries such as whiplash, concussion or internal injuries can take hours or days to show symptoms, and the adrenaline of an accident can mask pain. Seeing a GP, calling NHS 111, or going to A&E creates a medical record that links your injury to the accident, which is the single most important piece of evidence in any later compensation claim.
What evidence should I collect after an accident?
Take photos and video of the scene, any hazard that caused it and your injuries, and note the date, time and conditions. Get the names and contact details of any witnesses, and note any dashcam or CCTV that may have recorded it. Keep a copy of any accident-book entry, the other driver's details and insurer, plus all receipts, payslips and a short diary of your symptoms and time off work. See our evidence guide.
Do I have to report a workplace accident?
Yes. Tell your employer and make sure the accident is written in the accident book, which every workplace with ten or more staff must keep. Your employer is separately required to report certain serious injuries, dangerous occurrences and over-seven-day absences to the Health and Safety Executive under the RIDDOR regulations. Reporting protects your health and creates a record that supports any claim.
Should I admit fault at the scene?
No. Stay calm and exchange details, but do not say sorry in a way that accepts blame or sign anything admitting responsibility, because liability is a legal question that depends on evidence you may not have at the scene. Be equally careful about what you post on social media, as insurers can use photos and comments against you. Let the evidence and, if needed, a solicitor establish who was at fault.
How long do I have to start a claim?
In most cases you have three years from the date of the accident, or from the date you realised your injury was linked to it, to start a court claim under the Limitation Act 1980. There are different rules for children and for people who lack mental capacity. Acting promptly also means evidence is fresher and witnesses are easier to find, so it pays to get advice early.
Get help from official, free sources
- NHS — 999, 111 and A&E — urgent and non-urgent medical help and records
- Police — report a road crash, hit-and-run or an assault (crime reference)
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE) — workplace safety and RIDDOR reporting
- Citizens Advice — free, impartial guidance on your rights and next steps
- GOV.UK — reporting accidents, Official Injury Claim and CICA