It might just seem like a little fender-bender in the parking lot. There’s a ding in the bumper, a bent license plate, maybe a shattered taillight near the shopping cart return area. Both drivers swap details under the shopping center’s bright overhead lights, then take off with groceries shifting in the trunk. But sometimes a few days go by, and the problem gets worse. Your neck starts to hurt. Your memory of things can change. A security camera above a loading-zone sign might already be recording over the evidence.

The Pain Comes Later

In the moment, you might notice the spilled iced coffee before you notice the soreness in your neck. It’s hard to keep track of what’s going on physically when adrenaline, stress and the conversation with the other driver are taking up all your attention. Sometimes, it takes until the next morning for you to feel sore. Sometimes, it takes three or four days for the pain, the numbness or the inability to move normally (there is a helpful breakdown at https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr) to set in.

The longer the gap between the collision and the onset of symptoms, the harder it will be to prove that the accident caused the injury. An insurance company might say that since you didn’t complain of pain in the days immediately following the crash, or you drove to work the next day as usual, the injury must’ve been caused by something else. The best way to document your injuries is to make sure you record the symptoms in your medical records. Be specific at the doctor’s office. Tell them how you were hit. Tell them you remember your shoulder getting pulled by the seatbelt. Say when you first noticed it hurting to do normal things like pick up a laundry basket.

The Other Driver Changes Their Story

In the parking lot, the other driver pulls up next to the shopping cart return and admits that they weren’t looking when they backed out and hit you. But by the time an insurance company calls you with questions, the story has changed. They might say that you were going too fast when you pulled out. They might say that you drove through a vacant parking spot. They might say that the scratch on the bumper was already there.

All of these little details matter when the accounts diverge. Save everything you possibly can, no matter how trivial it might seem:

  • Photos of the parking space markings, the broken plastic and the positions of both vehicles
  • Text messages you exchange while standing in front of the store
  • Information about another customer who stopped to check on you and had a brown paper grocery bag in hand
  • Estimates that indicate that there was fresh damage underneath the bumper cover

Make a note of what happened (read this) while the memory is still fresh. Include which aisle it was. Which way was each car going? Was there a stop sign nearby? What was the weather like? What did you say to each other next to the vehicles? Writing this up at the end of the day will serve you better than trying to recreate the narrative at your kitchen table weeks later.

The Shopping Center Might Not Keep the Video

There are often cameras installed in parking lots, near entrances, in loading zones, at checkout kiosks and along the rows of handicapped parking spots. One camera might show a vehicle backing out. Another might only capture the corner of a silver hood behind a concrete light pole. Even a partial recording can help determine when, where and which way each car was driving.

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The problem is that the video might not be kept very long. The camera system might be set up to overwrite older footage after a certain amount of time has elapsed. Store employees might be unwilling to give you a copy of the video at the customer service desk. A manager might require a written request. The owner of the property or a third-party security firm might operate the hard drive from a maintenance closet.

It’s important to be swift. If you wait too long, the recording is gone. Have the date, approximate time, name of the store and the aisle number ready. A stamped receipt or a picture of a numbered light pole can help store staff find the right video.

Consider Legal Counsel Before Signing Off on the Settlement

If you’re being offered a quick settlement before you finish getting estimates for repairs and you’re finding your neck is getting stiffer by the hour, signing off on a settlement might mean giving up your right to pursue a claim later for injuries that haven’t shown up yet. If your injuries show up a few days later, if the other driver changes their story or if the shopping center might delete the footage, you might want to talk to an Arlington Heights car accident attorney before signing a release with an insurance company. A legal consultation soon after the accident can help you organize your medical records, deal with conflicting stories and make sure that the store’s footage is preserved while the relevant details are still readily available.