The first 72 hours after a Portsmouth crash

Published July 28, 2026 by Portsmouth Accident & Injury Center.

1. Focus on safety at the scene

   On US-23, US-52, a bridge approach, or a two-lane city street, the first job is keeping people safe. Watch for the next collision. Call 911 for injury or danger. Follow the dispatcher and the responding officer. Take photos only when it is safe.

   Exchange facts. Do not hold a roadside trial about fault, speed, or how everyone will feel tomorrow.

2. Organize records that evening

   Put the report number, driver details, tow information, photos, and discharge instructions in one folder. Use a physical folder or a well-named digital one. The goal is not to build a legal brief. It is to avoid hunting through five text threads for an adjuster's number.

   Call 911 right away if a serious symptom appears. This includes worsening confusion, repeated vomiting, a seizure, severe chest pain, trouble breathing, or major weakness.

3. Note what changed the next morning

   Write what you noticed:

   • At the scene.
   • Later that day.
   • On waking.
   • During the first normal activity.

   "Neck stiff when looking right" is useful. "Definitely a C5 injury caused by a 14-mph impact" is just a guess.

4. Keep medical and insurance calls separate on day two

   The insurer call covers the claim number, the adjuster, the vehicle process, and policy questions. The health-care call covers symptoms, urgency, and the right care setting. Keep these two calls separate.

   Use the Ohio Department of Insurance consumer portal(opens in a new tab) for official help and Ohio Crash Retrieval(opens in a new tab) for the report.

5. List remaining questions on day three

   Do you know which agency responded? Have you followed your medical instructions? Is a symptom getting worse? Do you know whether MedPay is on the policy? Have you booked an evaluation if you need one?

   The three-day mark is a helpful checkpoint. It is not a medical or legal deadline.

Next steps nearby: read what to do after a crash in Portsmouth, request the report through the Ohio crash report guide, or ask the Portsmouth office a scheduling question.

Related Portsmouth pages: insurance and MedPay guide.