Crashed with my best friend in the car. She got hurt bad. I can't stop shaking.

The shaking doesn't go away for a while, I won't lie to you. I had a bad crash a couple years ago and I kept waking up in the middle of the night hitting an imaginary brake pedal. It does get quieter eventually. You're in the acute shock phase right now and everything feels impossible. Be gentle with yourself.

I just want to say that I'm so glad you're both alive. The fact that her parents are being kind to you says a lot — they clearly don't blame you the way you're blaming yourself. Please don't carry this alone.

Please be really careful about what you say to any insurance adjuster — yours or hers. They will call soon if they haven't already and they are recording everything. 'I was going too fast' said casually on a recorded line can haunt you. Just say you're still gathering information and you'll follow up. I'm not trying to scare you, I just wish someone had told me that before my accident.

To answer your practical question — when a passenger gets injured in your car, your auto liability coverage is generally what would apply to her medical costs, yes. But the specifics depend on your policy limits, whether her own health insurance pays first, and your state's rules. When your parents say 'call a lawyer,' they might mean a lawyer for YOU to understand your exposure, not just for her. That's actually smart. It doesn't mean anyone is suing anyone — it just means someone's looking out for your interests while everything gets sorted out. Not legal advice, just context.

Can I ask — are YOU getting checked out medically? A bruised collarbone from an impact that hard needs imaging to rule out a fracture or anything else. And concussion symptoms in yourself can be delayed by adrenaline — headaches, fuzzy thinking, nausea showing up 24-48 hours later. Please don't skip your own care because you're focused on your friend. You matter too.

I'll keep this short — not legal advice, but: do not post detailed accounts of the accident on social media, do not give recorded statements without understanding what you're agreeing to, and document your own injuries now with photos and a doctor visit even if they seem minor. Your parents' instinct to involve a lawyer early is sound. Early guidance usually protects everyone better than waiting until something goes sideways.

She's alive, she's being monitored, her parents are being kind to you. I know the guilt is overwhelming right now but you also got her out of that situation. You stayed present enough to do what needed to be done. That matters.

Guilt question and practical question are two separate things and you should handle them separately. For the guilt: therapy, genuinely, not a cliché — one session with someone who handles trauma can do more than weeks of replaying it in your head. For the practical: let your parents handle the insurance and lawyer stuff right now. Your only job this week is to rest, get checked out medically, and maybe write down everything you remember about the accident while it's fresh — for your own record, not to post anywhere.

Former claims adjuster here. When a passenger is injured in your vehicle, expect the process to move faster than a typical two-car accident because liability is usually less disputed — the question becomes about coverage limits and medical bills. Her parents being cooperative now doesn't mean the insurance companies won't have friction later. If her bills exceed your liability limits, things can get complicated quickly. That's the scenario your parents are probably worried about, and why talking to someone who knows your policy inside and out matters sooner rather than later.

I don't want to pile on but I do want to ask gently — has anyone talked to you about what actually happened mechanically? Like did the car have any issues, were the tires worn, was there a road hazard that contributed? I ask because sometimes there are factors beyond just speed that affect how liability and insurance play out, and I'd hate for you to carry 100% of the blame in your head if the situation was more complicated than that.