At the scene (first hour)
Hazards on, out of lanes if drivable, 911 for any injury. Then document like it's your job — every vehicle from every angle, the roadway, debris, skid marks, their license and insurance card. Witnesses evaporate when traffic clears; get numbers first. On the 5, the 78, or the 76 the California Highway Patrol responds; on city streets it's Oceanside PD — either way, leave with the report number.
Same day: the medical visit that protects both things
Adrenaline hides injuries — neck, back, and head symptoms routinely surface on day two or three. Getting checked today protects your health and creates the record your claim will live in; waiting creates the treatment gap insurers price against you. Tri-City's ER or urgent care — go, report every symptom, follow instructions. Base families: military treatment counts fully; just keep the records flowing.
Within 24 hours: the paperwork clocks
California requires an SR-1 report to the DMV within 10 days when anyone is injured or damage tops $1,000 — ten minutes online; do it early. Notify your own insurer promptly (facts only — it's a policy condition, not an admission). Then the other driver's adjuster calls, warm and fast. You are not required to give a recorded statement, and you shouldn't: what you say in that call follows the claim forever.
The next few days
Save everything, start a symptom note on your phone, and post nothing anywhere. Pier-district and hotel cameras cycle in days — one reason the when-do-I-get-a-lawyer answer is earlier than people think. If it was more than a fender-tap, a free case review this week costs nothing and forecloses nothing.
