Car got towed after the crash and now I have no idea what happens next??

Oh man, I felt this post in my chest. I went through almost the exact same thing last year — rear-ended, tow truck, phone calls, total fog.

First thing: YES go get your stuff from the tow yard as soon as possible. Call them today and ask if you can do a personal property retrieval. Most yards will let you come by during business hours. That car seat especially — you want that out of there before anything else happens. They may charge a daily storage fee too, so the sooner the better.

As for the adjuster — in my experience they did go to the yard to assess it. You don't necessarily have to be there but you can request to be present or ask for a copy of the estimate they write up.

That call from the other driver's insurance this morning? Do NOT call them back without thinking carefully about what you want to say. They are not on your side. Their whole job is to minimize what they pay out. You don't have to talk to them at all if you don't want to — you can just route everything through your own insurer or an attorney if you decide to get one.

Please don't brush off the stiff neck and headache. I'm not trying to scare you, but soft tissue injuries from rear-end collisions often don't fully show up until 24-72 hours later. If your symptoms are still there or getting worse, go get checked out — urgent care is fine if you don't want the ER. It also creates a medical record that documents the timeline, which matters a lot if this turns into a claim for your injuries.

Used to work on the insurance side. Here's what's probably happening right now: your insurer has assigned a claims rep and they'll schedule a physical inspection at whatever yard has your vehicle. You should get a call or a portal update within a day or two.

One thing people don't realize — if the yard is racking up storage fees, that clock is already running. Ask your adjuster directly: 'Who is responsible for storage fees and when does the car need to be moved?' Get that answer in writing (even an email reply counts).

A few practical things worth knowing: you're generally not required to give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance. Your own policy probably does require you to cooperate with your insurer, but even then you can ask for questions in writing. Also, if you decide to consult a personal injury attorney — even just for a free consult — do it sooner rather than later. A lot of people wait and then realize they've already said things that hurt them.

This sounds so overwhelming, I'm sorry you're dealing with all of this alone. Is there anyone who can help you make these calls? Sometimes just having another person in the room when you're on the phone with insurance makes it easier to think clearly and take notes.

The fact that you called your insurance the same night and you're already asking questions two days in honestly puts you ahead of most people. A lot of folks freeze for weeks and miss important windows. You're doing better than you think — just keep moving forward one step at a time.