If you were hospitalized after a car accident in California, you are not dealing with a “minor crash.” You are dealing with a serious injury event where the insurance company will move fast to reduce what they pay—and they start building their defense before you’re even discharged. What you do in the next hours and days can determine whether your medical care is covered, whether you recover full compensation, and whether you avoid financial fallout that follows severe crashes for years.

If you or a loved one is in the hospital right now after a California crash, call the car accident lawyers at The Law Offices of Gerald L. Marcus at 818-784-8544 for immediate help. You do not have to fight the insurance company while you’re trying to heal.

1) First Priority: Your Health Comes First—But Your Medical Records Also Protect Your Claim

Hospitalization means your case will be evaluated through the lens of your medical chart: ER notes, admission notes, imaging, consults, discharge instructions, and follow-up plans. That paperwork becomes the foundation of your injury claim.

If you want your case taken seriously—and paid seriously—you must make sure the medical record reflects the truth.

What to do while you’re still in the hospital

• Report every symptom (pain, headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, numbness, tingling, weakness, vision changes).

• Tell the team about new symptoms immediately. Many injuries develop over hours or days.

• Be accurate. Don’t exaggerate. Don’t downplay. Stick to facts.

• Ask for copies of discharge paperwork and a summary of tests performed (CT, MRI, X-ray).

Insurance companies use “not documented” as “did not happen.”

If you have questions about how to protect your claim while you’re still treating, call 818-784-8544. A fast consultation can prevent expensive mistakes.

2) Make Sure the Crash Is Properly Documented

You were hospitalized—there should be a police report, but do not assume it exists or that it’s accurate.

You or your family should confirm:

• Police report number (or incident number)

• Responding agency (LAPD, CHP, LASD, or local PD)

• Any witness names or contact details

• Whether a citation was issued (and to whom)

If liability becomes disputed later, that early documentation can matter.

Need help obtaining the report or figuring out which agency responded? Call The Law Offices of Gerald L. Marcus at 818-784-8544.

3) Do Not Give a Recorded Statement to the Other Driver’s Insurance Company

If you’re hospitalized, the adjuster may call quickly. They will sound friendly. Their goal is to lock you into statements they can use to deny or reduce your claim.

Common traps include:

• “Are you feeling better today?” (You say “a little,” they write: “symptoms improving.”)

• “Were you distracted?” (They try to manufacture shared blame.)

• “Any prior pain?” (They blame the crash injuries on something else.)

• “How fast were you going?” (They push comparative fault.)

You are generally not required to give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer. If your own insurer needs information for MedPay or UM/UIM, you still need to be careful.

Before you speak to any adjuster, call 818-784-8544.

4) Preserve Evidence Immediately—Because It Disappears Fast

Serious injury claims rise or fall on evidence that disappears quickly:

• Dash cam footage gets overwritten

• Surveillance video gets deleted

• Witnesses vanish

• Vehicles are repaired, totaled, or sold

• Skid marks fade, debris is cleared

If you’re hospitalized, have a family member:

• Photograph vehicles and the scene (if possible)

• Photograph visible injuries daily (bruising evolves)

• Save damaged clothing/shoes (do not wash)

• Identify witnesses

• Write down your account as soon as you’re able

If a commercial vehicle was involved—delivery truck, rideshare, company vehicle—evidence preservation becomes urgent and technical. Call 818-784-8544 immediately so the right letters and requests go out before the company “loses” critical data.

5) California Law: You Can Still Recover Even If You Were Partially at Fault

California follows pure comparative negligence, meaning you can still recover damages even if you were partly responsible. Your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault.

Insurance companies exploit this by exaggerating your fault to cut value:

• “You changed lanes.”

• “You were speeding.”

• “You should have avoided it.”

• “You stopped short.”

When you’re hospitalized, you need an aggressive, evidence-based approach that controls the narrative early.

For help immediately after a serious crash, call 818-784-8544.

6) “I Felt Fine at First”—Delayed Symptoms Are Common After Violent Crashes

Many hospitalized victims were initially in shock or adrenaline-driven. Even if you didn’t feel pain immediately, symptoms can emerge later.

Common delayed injuries:

• Concussion/TBI symptoms: headaches, nausea, confusion, light sensitivity, memory issues

• Neck/back injuries: herniated discs, radiculopathy, sciatica

• Shoulder/knee tears: labrum, rotator cuff, meniscus

• Nerve injuries: numbness, burning, weakness

• Internal injuries: dizziness, abdominal pain, fainting (emergency warning signs)

Delayed symptoms are not “fake.” But gaps in treatment and missing documentation give insurers ammunition.

If your symptoms are changing, call 818-784-8544 so your claim strategy matches the medical reality.

7) Who Pays Hospital Bills While Your Case Is Pending?

This is where people panic—and where insurance companies take advantage.

Possible payment sources:

• Health insurance (if you have it)

• MedPay under your auto policy (if you carry it)

• UM/UIM if the at-fault driver is uninsured/underinsured

• Liens in some cases (paid out of settlement)

• Workers’ comp if you were driving for work

Proper handling of bills, liens, and reimbursements can materially affect how much money you actually keep at the end.

Want a plan to keep bills under control while your case is pending? Call 818-784-8544.

8) Injuries That Commonly Lead to Hospitalization After a Crash

Hospitalization often involves:

• Broken bones (arms, legs, ribs, pelvis)

• Head injury / concussion / TBI

• Spine injuries (disc herniations, fractures, nerve compression)

• Internal bleeding or organ injury

• Severe lacerations requiring repair

• Surgery (orthopedic, abdominal, neurological)

• Serious burns or crush injuries

These are life-changing injuries. Your claim must be built to reflect the true long-term cost—not the insurance company’s minimized version.

If your crash involved hospitalization, call 818-784-8544 now.

9) What Your California Injury Claim Can Include

Serious injury cases can include far more than “medical bills.”

Economic damages

• Ambulance and ER charges

• Hospitalization, surgery, ICU

• Imaging and specialist evaluations

• Medication and medical equipment

• Rehabilitation and therapy

• Future medical costs (including future procedures)

• Lost wages

• Loss of future earning capacity

• Out-of-pocket costs (transportation, home modifications, caregiving)

Non-economic damages

• Pain and suffering

• Emotional distress

• Loss of enjoyment of life

• Disfigurement and scarring

• Anxiety, insomnia, PTSD symptoms

The larger the injury, the more the insurer fights. If you’re hospitalized and the insurer is “acting nice,” it’s usually because they are trying to close your case cheap.

Call 818-784-8544.

10) Do Not Settle Early—Not While Your Future Medical Needs Are Unknown

One of the worst mistakes hospitalized crash victims make is taking an early offer “to move on.” Early offers are often designed to:

• Beat future surgeries

• Beat worsening symptoms

• Beat specialist evaluations

• Beat permanent disability findings

When you settle, you typically sign a release. That ends your claim forever.

Call 818-784-8544 before you agree to anything.

11) Mistakes That Destroy Serious Injury Claims

Mistake #1: Skipping follow-up care

If you don’t follow discharge instructions, insurers argue you were not truly injured.

Mistake #2: Downplaying injuries early

Statements like “I’m okay” get used against you later.

Mistake #3: Posting on social media

One smiling photo becomes “proof you’re fine.”

Mistake #4: Accepting the first offer

Hospital cases are often worth far more than early offers suggest.

Mistake #5: Not preserving evidence

Especially in commercial vehicle cases or disputed liability cases.

If you’re dealing with any of the above, call 818-784-8544 to lock down your claim.

12) What If the Police Report Is Wrong—or the Other Driver Lies?

It happens. Police reports can be incomplete. Witnesses can be mistaken. At-fault drivers can lie.

Strong cases may require:

• Witness interviews

• Scene investigation

• Crash reconstruction

• Vehicle “black box” downloads

• Cell phone distraction evidence

• Video footage acquisition

This is not a “paperwork” case.

Call 818-784-8544.

13) Underinsured Drivers: A Harsh Reality in California

Many drivers carry minimum limits that are nowhere near enough for hospitalization-level injuries. That means your case may require:

• UM/UIM claim strategy

• Identifying additional liable parties (employer, vehicle owner, negligent entrustment)

• Commercial coverage searches

• Umbrella policy investigation

Call 818-784-8544.

14) Deadlines Matter: Do Not Wait and Hope It Works Out

California injury cases have strict deadlines, and claims involving public entities (city, county, state) can have even more urgent notice requirements.

If there is any chance your crash involved:

• A government vehicle

• Road hazards or poor signage

• Construction zones

• Public transportation

Do not delay. Call 818-784-8544.

15) A 30-Day Action Plan After Hospital Discharge

Days 1–3

• Follow discharge instructions precisely

• Schedule specialist follow-ups immediately

• Save all paperwork and bills

• Avoid recorded statements

Days 4–14

• Attend every appointment

• Complete recommended imaging

• Begin PT/OT if ordered

• Track time missed from work

Days 15–30

• Document ongoing symptoms and limitations

• Track out-of-pocket expenses

• Make sure every injury is being treated and documented

• Get legal guidance if liability is disputed or injuries are severe

If you want an attorney to take over the insurance pressure while you focus on healing, call 818-784-8544.

16) When You Should Call a California Car Accident Lawyer Immediately

If you were hospitalized, it’s already serious. But it becomes urgent if:

• You had surgery or may need surgery

• You have head injury/TBI symptoms

• Liability is disputed or you’re being blamed

• A commercial vehicle was involved

• The at-fault driver is uninsured/underinsured

• Multiple vehicles are involved

• The insurer is pressuring you to settle

Call The Law Offices of Gerald L. Marcus at 818-784-8544 and get answers before the insurer controls the outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions

“Do I have to speak to the other insurance company?”

No. You should not give them a recorded statement without strategic guidance—especially after hospitalization.

“Can I still recover if I was partly at fault?”

Yes. California comparative fault rules allow recovery, reduced by your fault percentage.

“Will my hospital bills ruin my credit?”

They can if mishandled. The right approach depends on your coverage, MedPay, health insurance, and lien options.

“How much is my case worth?”

Hospitalization cases vary widely.

For a serious-case evaluation, call 818-784-8544.

Don’t Let the Insurance Company Decide What Your Hospitalization Was “Worth”

If you were hospitalized after a California car accident, you deserve more than sympathy from an adjuster and a lowball offer designed to close your case before the true damage is known. You deserve full compensation for what this crash took from you—physically, financially, and emotionally.

Call The Law Offices of Gerald L. Marcus at 818-784-8544 now. The sooner you protect the case, the stronger your position will be—because evidence disappears, narratives get twisted, and deadlines don’t wait.