First accident ever, other driver was aggressive and now I'm scared I messed everything up

I went through almost this exact situation two years ago — first accident, aggressive other driver, left the scene without a police report because I just wanted to get away. Honestly the best thing I did was go back to that intersection the very next morning. Took photos of every lane marking, every sign, even the sight lines. It's not too late for that. Also walk the nearby storefronts — I found a sandwich shop that had an exterior camera pointed right at the street and they handed over the footage once I asked nicely. That footage ended up being really important.

Do NOT give his insurance company a recorded statement without talking to a lawyer first. I can't stress this enough. They're going to call you sounding friendly and just wanting to "get your side of things" — but everything you say can and will be used to reduce or deny your claim. You're not legally required to give them a recorded statement. Just say you'll get back to them.

Spent years on the inside of claims departments. A few things: first, go file a police report NOW if your jurisdiction still allows a late report — many do within a few days or even a week. Second, the lane configuration you're describing (a shared straight/turn lane vs. a dedicated turn lane) is actually pretty well-documented in most city traffic engineering records. Your attorney or even you personally can request those. It objectively shows who had the legal right to be where. That kind of documentation hits different than just dueling stories.

Not legal advice, but I'll say this: the absence of a police report hurts less than people think if you have other corroborating evidence. Lane geometry, camera footage, even cell tower or dashcam data from other nearby vehicles can reconstruct what happened. The recorded-statement concern others raised is real — you have no obligation to give one to the adverse party's insurer. Talking to a PI attorney for a free consult costs you nothing and gives you a much clearer picture of where you stand.

Please make sure you've actually seen a doctor, even if you feel okay right now. Adrenaline is wild — it masks pain for hours or sometimes days. Whiplash and soft-tissue stuff especially doesn't always show up until 48-72 hours later. If you wait too long to get checked out, insurers will use that gap to argue your injuries weren't related to the accident. Go get documented today if you haven't already.

Three immediate action items: (1) Go back to that intersection today and photograph everything — lane lines, turn arrows, signage, all of it. (2) Walk into every business within eyeshot and ask if they have exterior cameras and will preserve the footage. Footage overwrites fast. (3) Call your own insurance and report it even if you're pursuing his. Your own carrier works for you. Do all three before you do anything else.

Quick question — did you at least get a photo of his insurance card and license plate? And do you know if your car has any kind of onboard event data or if any other cars nearby might have had dashcams? I'm not doubting you, just thinking about what you might actually have to work with before assuming the worst.