Got tapped from behind on my way to work, panicked and just kept driving — now what?

Hey, don't beat yourself up — I did almost the exact same thing my first year driving. Got clipped at a light and just pulled into a parking lot two blocks away because I panicked. You're not stupid, you were scared. The good news is you have dashcam footage, which is honestly more than a lot of people have. Pull that video ASAP and save a copy somewhere — like email it to yourself or back it up to the cloud so it doesn't get overwritten.

Please pay attention to how your body feels over the next 48-72 hours. Adrenaline is sneaky — it can completely mask neck and back soreness right after an impact, and then you wake up two days later wondering why you can barely turn your head. I've seen it a hundred times. If anything feels off, even a little stiff or achy, go get checked out. Don't wait and don't tough it out. Having that documented early matters way more than people realize.

When you do call your insurance, keep it simple and factual. Don't speculate, don't say you 'feel fine,' don't downplay it. Adjusters are trained to use anything you say casually against you later if you develop symptoms. Just report what happened and let the process play out.

You can still file a police report — in most places you have several days to do so, sometimes longer for minor incidents with no injuries. Call your non-emergency line and ask about filing a late report. Even if they won't come out now, getting an incident number on record is useful. Also, yes, absolutely contact your insurance company even with no visible damage. You want this on record before anything shows up mechanically or physically. Paper trail is everything.

Former adjuster here. The dashcam footage is your biggest asset right now — seriously, back it up immediately before anything else. Even if the damage looks like nothing, sensors and structural components can be affected in ways that aren't obvious to the eye. I've seen bumper covers that looked perfect with several hundred dollars of hidden damage behind them. Don't let anyone, including your own insurer, tell you 'there's nothing there' based on a visual check alone.

Not legal advice, but two things worth knowing: (1) your state's statute of limitations for accident claims is almost certainly way longer than a few days, so you haven't 'missed' anything yet. (2) If you do develop any physical symptoms, even minor ones, please see a doctor before settling anything or signing anything. The dashcam plate is potentially very useful depending on what the footage shows. Most PI attorneys offer free consultations if things get complicated.

Honestly you sound like you handled it better than you're giving yourself credit for — you pulled over, you took photos, you're asking questions. That's more than a lot of people do. Hope you're okay and that the footage gives you what you need 💙

Three things right now: back up the dashcam footage, call your insurance to report it, and make a note of exactly how your body feels today so you have a baseline. Do those three things before tomorrow. Everything else can wait a little, those can't.