Accident guides and contributor articles
State accident guides and articles contributed by attorneys and other professionals. General information, not legal advice.
North Carolina accident guides
- North Carolina Car Accident Settlements: How Payouts Are Calculated (No Made-Up Averages, 2026) — Any site quoting a 'North Carolina average settlement' is guessing. Here's how payouts are really built — the multiplier method and the 1% rule that dominates NC value.
- Hit and Run in North Carolina: What to Do If Someone Hits Your Parked Car or Flees (2026) — Smashed parked car with no note, or a driver who took off? Here's the exact NC hit-and-run playbook — the first 10 minutes, the parked-car reporting rules (N.C.G.S. § 20-166), and how UM coverage pays.
- Car Accident Without Insurance in North Carolina: What Happens & What to Do (2026) — Uninsured yourself, or hit by an uninsured driver in NC? The consequences differ a lot. Here's both scenarios — plus how the new 50/100/50 UM/UIM rules protect you.
- Should I Accept the First Insurance Settlement Offer After a North Carolina Car Accident? (2026) — In NC, the insurer's first offer is a lowball — and the 1% fault rule is their favorite lever. Here's how to think about it before you sign anything away.
- How to Document a Car Accident in North Carolina: Photos, Notes & Evidence Checklist (2026) — In a 1% fault state, your evidence is your case. Here's the exact NC documentation checklist — what to photograph, what to say, and the one-party recording rule (N.C.G.S. § 15A-287).
- What Happens If You Don’t Report a Car Accident in North Carolina? (Penalties, 2026) — Not reporting a NC crash with injury or $1,000+ damage can be a Class 2 misdemeanor — and leaving the scene is a felony (N.C.G.S. § 20-166). Here's the real exposure, and how the 1% rule makes it worse.
- Is North Carolina a No-Fault or At-Fault State? How Insurance Claims Really Work (2026) — North Carolina is an at-fault state with the harshest fault rule in the country: 1% at fault can bar your claim. Here's what that means — plus the new 50/100/50 minimums that took effect July 1, 2025 (not January 1).
- Do I Have to Call the Police After a Minor Car Accident in North Carolina? (2026) — North Carolina requires reporting crashes with injury, death, or $1,000+ damage (N.C.G.S. § 20-166.1). Here's why you should usually call anyway — and how the 1% fault rule raises the stakes.
- What to Do After a Car Accident in North Carolina: A Step-by-Step Guide (2026) — Just crashed in NC? Do these 8 steps in order: stop and stay, call 911, report if damage tops $1,000, photograph everything, exchange info, see a doctor, and mind the 3-year deadline — plus the 1% fault rule that makes NC different.
- North Carolina Car Accident Statute of Limitations: How Long Do You Have to File? (2026) — North Carolina gives you 3 years for injury and property claims (N.C.G.S. § 1-52), but only 2 years for wrongful death. Here's the full breakdown — and why the 1% fault rule makes waiting risky.
Georgia accident guides
- Georgia Car Accident Settlements: How Payouts Are Calculated (No Made-Up Averages, 2026) — Anyone quoting a 'Georgia average settlement' is guessing. Here's how payouts are actually built — the multiplier method, Georgia's 50% fault rule (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33), and the punitive damages cap that matters.
- Hit and Run in Georgia: What to Do If Someone Hits Your Parked Car or Flees (2026) — Came out to a smashed parked car, or watched a driver speed off? Here's the exact Georgia hit-and-run timeline — the first 10 minutes, the reporting steps, the penalties (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-270), and how UM coverage pays.
- Car Accident Without Insurance in Georgia: What Happens & What to Do (2026) — Whether you're uninsured or the other driver is, a Georgia crash gets complicated fast. Here's what happens in both scenarios — the penalties, and how uninsured-motorist (UM) coverage saves you.
- Should I Accept the First Insurance Settlement Offer After a Georgia Car Accident? (2026) — That first offer from the insurer is almost always a lowball — and in Georgia, the 50% comparative-fault rule is the pressure point adjusters use. Here's how to evaluate it before you sign anything away.
- How to Document a Car Accident in Georgia: Photos, Notes & Evidence Checklist (2026) — The photos and notes you take in the first 10 minutes can make or break your Georgia claim. Here's the exact evidence checklist — plus Georgia's one-party recording rule (O.C.G.A. § 16-11-62).
- Is Georgia a No-Fault or At-Fault State? How Car Insurance Claims Really Work (2026) — Georgia is an at-fault (tort) state — the driver who caused the crash pays. Here's what that means for your claim, plus Georgia's 50% comparative-fault rule (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33) explained simply.
- Georgia Car Accident Statute of Limitations: How Long Do You Have to File? (2026) — Georgia gives you 2 years for injury claims (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33) and 4 years for property damage — but a government crash can cut your window to just 6 months. Full deadline breakdown inside.
- Do I Have to Call the Police After a Minor Car Accident in Georgia? (2026) — In Georgia you must report a crash with injury, death, or $500+ damage under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273. Here's why that low threshold means you should almost always call — and what happens if you don't.
- What Happens If You Don’t Report a Car Accident in Georgia? (Penalties, 2026) — Skipping the report on a Georgia crash with injury or $500+ damage can mean a misdemeanor, license suspension, and a denied insurance claim. Leaving an injury scene is a felony. Here's the real risk.
- What to Do After a Car Accident in Georgia: A Step-by-Step Guide (2026) — Hit in a crash in Georgia? Follow these 8 steps: stop and stay, call 911, report if damage tops $500, photograph everything, exchange info, see a doctor, and notify your insurer within the 2-year deadline.
Louisiana accident guides
- Should I Accept the First Insurance Settlement Offer After a Louisiana Car Accident? (2026) — That first insurance check after a Louisiana crash is almost always low. Here's why, how the 51% fault rule and the 'paid not billed' medical rule change the math, and how to negotiate a fair number.
- What Happens If You Don’t Report a Car Accident in Louisiana? (Penalties Explained, 2026) — Not reporting a Louisiana crash can mean fines and a denied claim. Leaving the scene can be a misdemeanor or a felony (up to $5,000 and 2–10 years). Here's exactly what's at risk under La. R.S. 32:398 and 14:100 — and how to fix it.
- No-Fault vs At-Fault: How Car Insurance Claims Work in Louisiana (2026) — Louisiana is an at-fault state, not no-fault. And on January 1, 2026 it switched to a 51% fault bar — cross that line and you recover nothing. Here's how fault, insurance, and Louisiana's tort reforms actually work.
- How to Document a Car Accident in Louisiana: Photos, Notes & Evidence Checklist (2026) — Under Louisiana's new 51% fault rule, your photos and notes decide your claim. Here's the exact evidence checklist — plus why Louisiana's one-party recording law and the new seatbelt rule change what you should capture.
- Car Accident Without Insurance in Louisiana: No Pay, No Play Explained (2026) — Louisiana's No Pay, No Play law jumped from $15K to $100,000 on August 1, 2025. If you're uninsured, you could lose the first $100,000 of your claim — even if you didn't cause the crash. Here's what changed, the DWI exception, and your options.
- Average Car Accident Settlement Amounts in Louisiana (2026): The Honest Answer — There's no reliable 'average' Louisiana car accident settlement — any site quoting one number is guessing. Here's how settlements are actually calculated, and how five recent Louisiana law changes (the 51% bar, No Pay No Play, 'paid not billed,' and damage caps) move your number.
- Hit and Run in Louisiana: What to Do If Someone Hits Your Parked Car or Flees (2026) — Someone hit your parked car and drove off in Louisiana? Here's the hour-by-hour plan, the criminal penalties under La. R.S. 14:100 (up to $5,000 and 2–10 years), and how your own UM and collision coverage get you paid.
- Do I Have to Call the Police After a Minor Car Accident in Louisiana? (2026) — In Louisiana you must notify police if a crash causes injury, death, or over $500 in damage. Here's what 'immediately' really means, why there's no DMV form to file, and how leaving can become a crime.
- What to Do After a Car Accident in Louisiana: A Step-by-Step Guide (2026) — Hit in a crash in Louisiana? Follow these 8 steps: stop and identify yourself, notify police, document the scene, exchange info, see a doctor, and know the 2-year filing deadline. Includes the SR-1 myth most sites get wrong.
- Louisiana Car Accident Statute of Limitations: How Long Do You Have to File? (2026) — Louisiana doubled its car accident filing deadline from 1 year to 2 years on July 1, 2024. Here's the current deadline, the exceptions for wrongful death, medical malpractice, and government claims, and why many sites still cite the wrong statute number.
Florida accident guides
- Should I Accept the First Settlement Offer After a Florida Car Accident? — Why Florida's no-fault system, the 51% bar, and the two-year deadline make the first offer harder to evaluate than in most states — and the questions to answer before you sign.
- What Happens If You Don’t Report a Car Accident in Florida? — Florida requires immediate police notification for injury crashes or property damage of at least $500 — rising to $2,000 on October 1, 2026. Here's what failing to report actually costs you.
- How to Document a Car Accident in Florida (Evidence Checklist) — What to photograph, what to write down, and how to get your Florida crash report. Includes the 60-day confidentiality rule most drivers never hear about.
- Hit by an Uninsured Driver in Florida: What Are Your Options? — Florida doesn't require drivers to carry bodily injury liability coverage at all. Here's what that means when someone hits you — and why UM coverage is the whole ballgame.
- Hit-and-Run in Florida: Penalties, Your Claim, and What to Do First — Leaving the scene of a fatal crash in Florida carries a mandatory minimum of four years in prison. Here's the full penalty structure — and how victims of a fleeing driver actually get paid.
- How Are Car Accident Settlements Calculated in Florida? — Florida's no-fault system, the 51% bar, and the 2023 medical damages statute changed the math entirely. Here's how the calculation actually works — and why we won't quote you an average.
- What to Do After a Car Accident in Florida: A Step-by-Step Guide (2026) — Nine steps, in order, for the first hour after a Florida crash. Includes the 14-day PIP deadline that quietly kills most claims, and the reporting threshold that changes on October 1, 2026.
- Do I Have to Call the Police After a Minor Car Accident in Florida? — Florida requires immediate police notice at $500 in apparent damage — rising to $2,000 on October 1, 2026. Plus the 10-day self-report and the 14-day PIP clock nobody warns you about.
- Florida Car Accident Statute of Limitations: How Long Do You Have to File? (2026) — Florida cut the negligence deadline from 4 years to 2 in March 2023. Property damage is still 4. Your own insurer is 5. Government claims need notice in 3. Full deadline table.
- Is Florida a No-Fault State? PIP, the 14-Day Rule, and the 51% Bar Explained (2026) — Florida is no-fault for benefits, at-fault for lawsuits, and since 2023 it bars anyone more than 50% at fault. And no — PIP was not repealed in 2026. Here's the proof.
Illinois accident guides
- Hit and Run in Illinois: What to Do If Someone Hits Your Parked Car or Flees — Leaving an injury crash in Illinois is a Class 4 felony with mandatory license revocation. If you're the victim, your own UM coverage is usually the whole answer. Here's the 72-hour timeline.
- Average Car Accident Settlement Amounts in Illinois (2026): What the Numbers Actually Mean — Every site quotes an average Illinois settlement. None of them can know it. Here's the real calculation — no caps, a 50% cliff, and the one number that decides everything.
- What to Do After a Car Accident in Illinois: A Step-by-Step Guide (2026) — Illinois repealed the driver's crash report in 2021 — but almost every website still tells you to file one. Here's what the law actually requires, in order, from minute one.
- Do I Have to Call the Police After a Minor Car Accident in Illinois? — Illinois gives you 30 minutes to notify police after an injury crash — and repealed the driver's report entirely in 2021. Most websites still get both facts wrong.
- Illinois Car Accident Statute of Limitations: How Long Do You Really Have? (2026) — Two years for injury. Five for your car. But only ONE year if a city bus, CTA train, or snowplow was involved — and that one-year trap kills more Illinois claims than anything else.
- Is Illinois a No-Fault State? At-Fault Rules and the 50% Bar Explained (2026) — Illinois is an at-fault state with no PIP. Recover nothing if you're more than 50% to blame. Here's how 735 ILCS 5/2-1116 quietly decides most Illinois claims.
- What Happens If You Don’t Report a Car Accident in Illinois? (2026) — Illinois repealed the driver's crash report in 2021 — so what can actually happen to you? The 30-minute rule, license revocation, and the claim damage nobody warns you about.
- How to Document a Car Accident in Illinois: Photos, Notes & Evidence Checklist — In a state with no PIP and a 50% recovery cliff, your scene photos are the claim. Here's the 12-photo checklist, the all-party consent trap, and how to get your SR-19 report.
- Should I Accept the First Insurance Settlement Offer After an Illinois Car Accident? — The first offer arrives before anyone knows what you're owed. In Illinois, one percentage point of fault can zero out your claim. Here's what to check before you sign.
- Car Accident Without Insurance in Illinois: What Happens and What to Do — Two scenarios, two very different outcomes. Illinois requires UM coverage in every policy — and driving uninsured while injuring someone is a Class A misdemeanor under 625 ILCS 5/3-707.
New York accident guides
- Car Accident Without Insurance in New York: What Happens & What to Do — Uninsured in a NY crash? You get no PIP. Hit by an uninsured driver? Your mandatory UM coverage — or MVAIC, with its 90-day notice — steps in. Both paths explained.
- Should I Accept the First Insurance Settlement Offer After a New York Car Accident? — The first offer arrives before your treatment ends — and before anyone knows whether you clear New York's serious injury threshold. Here is what the number is really made of.
- How to Document a Car Accident in New York: Photos, Notes & Evidence Checklist — A 12-photo checklist plus the objective medical evidence New York's serious injury threshold demands. And why NY's one-party consent rule lets you record the other driver.
- What Happens If You Don’t Report a Car Accident in New York? (Penalties Explained) — Missing the 10-day MV-104 can suspend your NY licence. Missing the 30-day NF-2 can void your medical benefits. Leaving the scene escalates from a $250 infraction to a felony.
- New York Car Accident Statute of Limitations: How Long Do You Have to File? (2026) — New York gives 3 years to sue (CPLR 214), 2 years for wrongful death — but only 90 days to file a Notice of Claim against a city, and 30 days for no-fault benefits.
- How New York Car Accident Settlements Are Calculated (And Why ‘Average’ Numbers Mislead You) — There is no reliable average New York settlement. What decides value: the serious injury threshold, damages above the $50,000 PIP cap, pure comparative fault, and policy limits.
- Hit and Run in New York: What to Do If Someone Hits Your Parked Car or Flees — Someone hit your parked car and left? The 0–10 minute, 24-hour, 72-hour timeline, VTL 600 penalties, and how New York's mandatory UM coverage and MVAIC's 90-day notice apply.
- Do I Have to Call the Police After a Minor Car Accident in New York? — New York has no blanket duty to call police for a fender bender — but VTL 600 exchange rules, the 10-day MV-104, and the 30-day NF-2 all still apply. Here is what is required.
- What to Do After a Car Accident in New York: A Step-by-Step Guide (2026) — New York is a no-fault state with two deadlines almost nobody knows: the 30-day NF-2 no-fault application and the 10-day DMV MV-104 report. Here is the full sequence.
- Is New York a No-Fault State? PIP, the Serious Injury Threshold, and When You Can Sue — New York is no-fault for benefits and at-fault for lawsuits. PIP pays $50,000 regardless of blame — but you can only sue for pain and suffering if you clear Insurance Law 5102(d).
Texas accident guides
- Car Accident Without Insurance in Texas: What Happens & What to Do — Uninsured in a Texas crash? You keep your right to sue — Texas has no Prop 213. Hit by an uninsured driver? Check your policy: UM/UIM is included unless you rejected it.
- Should I Accept the First Insurance Settlement Offer After a Texas Car Accident? — Every Texas offer hides a fault percentage — and at 51% the number becomes zero. What the first offer is really made of, and why UIM claims work differently here.
- What Happens If You Don’t Report a Car Accident in Texas? (Penalties Explained) — Texas has no DMV form to miss — the CR-2 died in 2017. But skipping the §550.026 police report or leaving the scene escalates from a $500 fine to a second-degree felony.
- How to Document a Car Accident in Texas: Photos, Notes & Evidence Checklist — A 12-photo checklist for a 51%-bar state, where one percentage point of fault erases your entire claim. Plus Texas's one-party consent recording rule and the CR-3 report.
- Hit and Run in Texas: What to Do If Someone Hits Your Parked Car or Flees — The 0–10 minute, 24-hour, 72-hour timeline. Texas §550.024 requires a written note on a parked car — leaving without one is a Class B misdemeanor at $200 damage.
- How Texas Car Accident Settlements Are Calculated (And Why ‘Average’ Numbers Mislead You) — There is no reliable average Texas settlement. What decides value: the 51% bar, documented damages, policy limits, TTCA caps, and the Brainard rule on UIM claims.
- Do I Have to Call the Police After a Minor Car Accident in Texas? — Texas only requires a police report if someone is hurt or a vehicle cannot be driven away (§550.026). The CR-2 Blue Form is gone. Here is what is actually required.
- Is Texas a No-Fault State? The 51% Rule and How Car Insurance Claims Really Work — Texas is an at-fault state with a 51% bar: one percentage point can zero out your entire claim. Plus 30/60/25 limits, PIP you may already have, and the UIM Brainard rule.
- Texas Car Accident Statute of Limitations: How Long Do You Have to File? (2026) — Texas gives you 2 years to sue (CPRC §16.003). But if a city vehicle was involved, some charters cut your notice deadline to 90 days — or less. Full deadline table.
- What to Do After a Car Accident in Texas: A Step-by-Step Guide (2026) — Texas killed the CR-2 Blue Form in 2017 — most guides still get this wrong. Here is what Chapter 550 actually requires, plus the 51% rule that can zero out your claim.
California accident guides
- California Car Accident Statute of Limitations: How Long Do You Have to File? (2026) — California gives you 2 years to sue for injury, 3 years for property damage — but only 6 months if a government vehicle was involved. Full deadline table and tolling rules.
- What to Do After a Car Accident in California: A Step-by-Step Guide (2026) — Hit in a crash in California? Follow these 8 steps: secure the scene, call 911, document evidence, exchange info, file the DMV SR-1 within 10 days, and notify your insurer.
- Hit and Run in California: What to Do If Someone Hits Your Parked Car or Flees — Someone hit your parked car and left? Here is the 0–10 minute, 24-hour, 72-hour timeline, plus California's VC 20002 and VC 20001 penalties and how UM coverage applies.
- How to Document a Car Accident in California: Photos, Notes & Evidence Checklist — A 12-photo checklist, the notes that actually matter, and California's all-party recording consent rule (Penal Code 632). Build the record that decides your fault percentage.
- What Happens If You Don’t Report a Car Accident in California? (Penalties Explained) — Skipping the DMV SR-1 can suspend your California license. Leaving the scene is a misdemeanor or felony. Here is the full penalty escalation, deadline by deadline.
- Do I Have to Call the Police After a Minor Car Accident in California? — California has no blanket duty to call police for a minor fender bender — but VC 20008 and the 10-day DMV SR-1 rule still apply. Here is exactly when you must report.
- Is California a No-Fault State? How Car Insurance Claims Actually Work Here — California is an at-fault state with pure comparative negligence. Learn how fault percentages cut your payout, what 30/60/15 covers, and why UM coverage matters.
- Car Accident Without Insurance in California: What Happens & What to Do — Uninsured in a California crash? Prop 213 bars your pain and suffering damages even if you were not at fault. Penalties, license suspension, and what UM coverage does.
- How California Car Accident Settlements Are Calculated (And Why ‘Average’ Numbers Mislead You) — There is no reliable average California car accident settlement. Here is what actually determines value: economic damages, Prop 213, pure comparative fault, and policy limits.
- Should I Accept the First Insurance Settlement Offer After a California Car Accident? — The first offer arrives before your treatment ends — that is the point. How California's pure comparative negligence rule and Prop 213 shape what your claim is worth.
Guides for every state
Reporting deadlines, insurance rules, and what a police report has to contain differ by state. The State Accident Guides index lists all fifty; each published guide names the official source it was written from and the date it was reviewed.
These pages are general information. NowAccident is not a law firm, does not provide legal advice, and does not sell your accident as a lead to anyone.
If this page has not finished opening, reload it, or open it in another browser. Everything below works either way.
NowAccident is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. General information only.