What to do in the first 72 hours

Steps are in order. Do not skip ahead — each one depends on the one before.

1. Call 112.

   If the victim is still at the scene, 112 dispatches an ambulance and can identify the nearest designated hospital. If you are already at a hospital, call 112 to confirm whether that hospital is designated under the cashless scheme.

2. Get to a designated hospital.

   Cashless treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh is available for up to 7 days, but only at hospitals designated under the scheme. Call 112 — they can tell you the nearest one. If you are already at a non-designated hospital, ask for stabilisation and then transfer. Do not accept a refusal without asking to speak to the medical superintendent. The NHA portal at nha.gov.in has the full list.

3. Tell the hospital this is a road accident case.

   Use those exact words. This triggers the cashless treatment protocol. The hospital must register the case and request the eDAR Victim ID from police.

4. Make sure police are informed within 24 hours.

   The police must be informed of the accident within 24 hours. If no one has done this yet, call 112 — the call is logged and triggers the process. In life-threatening cases, treatment begins before police confirmation.

5. Ask the investigating officer for the eDAR Victim ID.

   This ID links the hospital treatment record to your case and to the later compensation claim. Ask for it in writing and give a copy to the hospital.

6. Ask the police for a copy of the FIR.

   You are entitled to a free copy immediately. If the officer says they cannot give it yet, ask to speak to the Station House Officer (SHO).

7. Ask the hospital for the Medico-Legal Certificate (MLC).

   In death cases, also ask for the post-mortem report. You are entitled to these.

8. Contact the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) for free legal aid.

   You do not need to pay a lawyer to start a compensation claim. The DLSA provides free lawyers for road accident cases.