Just crashed, when do I ring insurance?

Cheers for the replies folks.

I'm angry that I paid for a dash cam, then the one time I need it, I don't have it with me. Typical.


To give a bit more detail, the other driver was parked on the side of the road, almost completely off the road (there wasn't a full hard shoulder but enough that you'd get by without any real inconvenience, and they were parked at a gate to a field). Road was wide enough, also. I was approaching from behind the other driver, and they pulled out to do a U-Turn. They obviously didn't see me at all (strong sunlight I presume). I beeped and braked, and tried to go into the oncoming lane (there was no oncoming traffic, which is presumably why they chose that moment to pull out).

My hope was that they'd realise there was something coming, and react by braking to a stop, and I'd go around them, and it'd all be a 'well that was lucky' and everyone would move on with their lives. Unfortunately, I just didn't have the space necessary to stop, and she continued with her movement, so we met each other in the middle of the road. I went straight into the side of her.

My airbag went off at my legs/knees, but not at the steering wheel. Her driver side 'curtain' airbags went off along the top of the door windows. Immediately I knew I felt fine, but was completely numbed with a 'pins and needles' feeling all over my body. I presume adrenaline.

I got out and knocked on her windscreen and asked if she was okay. She muttered yes, but she looked a bit shook. I tried to open the drivers door of her car to check on her but it wouldn't open (her car is a write off).

I opened the passenger door and leaned in and asked was she okay. She was visibly shaking, but said yes. I very gently squeezed her knee and arm, and asked could she feel me doing it, and she said that she could feel me, so that was a relief for me. If she couldn't feel that then I figured she might be in trouble.

At this point other people came over and i took a step back. I walked away and tried to take it all in. Three or four people were talking to the other driver. One of them rang the Gardai.

A lady approached me and said she was driving in the car right behind me, and seen it happen. Agreed that I wasn't at fault, thankfully. I got her contact number and name and she headed off as she was going somewhere.

Gardai arrived and took a brief statement from me, took my driver's license and insurance details. I don't recall seeing the garda talking to the lady at length in the car at all (who at this point was in the passenger seat, with the assistance of the other people, I'd guess), but when I told the Garda what happened, she said the woman driving the other car had the same story. So I feel a bit relieved at that, (that she isn't trying to put the blame on me, thankfully).

The Galaxy busted it's windscreen washer bottle onto the road, the bonnet is damaged, front bumper etc. (i hit her hardest at my front passenger side, but as i hit her she obviously moved across the whole front of my car, so i have the whole front damaged, but lesser damage on the driver side). An ambulance arrived and two paramedics went through things. One talked to me, and was polite. Offered me the opportunity to go to the hospital, but I felt grand (despite the pins and needles all over still being there, i did start to feel a bruise on my left leg where the airbag must have hit it). Paramedic asked what happened (unsure if that was for his forms, or just if he was making small talk). Asked had I any pains, any allergies, when I last ate, etc. At this point the other driver was put into the ambulance (she wasn't stretchered, i didn't actually see her getting in, but i believe she walked).


Tow truck arrived and took her car away. Mechanic driving the tow truck gave mine a quick look, and agreed it'd be safe to drive (by this point I'd moved my car off the road, and i reversed it, drove it forward, revved it, turned the wheels both ways etc. so i was confident it'd be okay anyway).

I drove off and that was that. Home I came.


This is the part of the post that's making me feel bad: i actually do have some pains and sores, but I don't want to be 'that guy'. I started to notice these coming on on the drive home, so I made an appointment with my GP. Unfortunately he won't see me until monday, so im not sure if i should bother heading to A+E or if i'll just leave it and if im still sore on monday then it's probably an issue, whereas now it could just be minor sores from the impact that could be gone tomorrow.

My neck is very stiff and sore, i suppose 'tense' would be the way to describe it, but I presume (guessing here obviously) that might be just from the seatbelt gripping me at the point of impact? I don't currently feel injured or such (i'm still walking around, albeit, uncomfortably).

On one hand, I really don't want to be the 'money grabbing prick' that everyone hears of in claims. On the other, if i do actually have a prolonged soreness, I don't want to screw myself by not attending A+E. I also don't want to go near A+E as I feel I'm abusing the system if I do that. There are people literally dying in there, and there's me strolling in with a sore neck, whistling away to myself.. seems wrong).

I've a busting headache but hopefully the headache tablets will knock that out. It's a very surreal experience. I'm just glad, firstly, i'm not at fault, and secondly, that I was in my car and not in theres, as, at least i got to see it all unfold. I'd say the sudden, completely out of nowhere bang of the airbags going off and my car hitting that woman will stay with her for a long time.

I have her phone number but unsure if I should contact her or not..? I don't think she lives in the area. The garda at the scene gave me her phone number and insurance info.