Citation-ready dataset
First-Week Accident Documentation Burden Index 2026
An original 50-state index estimating how much documentation pressure an accident victim may face during the first week after a crash.
Last updated 2026-05-26
Methodology
- The burden score is editorial and educational, not a legal or insurance outcome prediction.
- Scores weigh fault-rule complexity, general deadline pressure, official-source verification status, and whether early documentation is especially important.
- The index is designed to help publishers explain why victims should organize records early without estimating settlement value.
| State | Burden score | Primary pressure | Best first-week action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 92/100 | Fault disputes can be especially costly. | View guide |
| Alaska | 83/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Arizona | 84/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Arkansas | 83/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| California | 86/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Colorado | 80/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Connecticut | 87/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Delaware | 88/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Florida | 89/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Georgia | 90/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Hawaii | 86/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Idaho | 87/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Illinois | 88/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Indiana | 89/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Iowa | 90/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Kansas | 86/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Kentucky | 89/100 | Shorter general filing window creates urgency. | View guide |
| Louisiana | 90/100 | Shorter general filing window creates urgency. | View guide |
| Maine | 83/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Maryland | 90/100 | Fault disputes can be especially costly. | View guide |
| Massachusetts | 80/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Michigan | 81/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Minnesota | 88/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Mississippi | 79/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Missouri | 80/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Montana | 80/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Nebraska | 81/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Nevada | 88/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| New Hampshire | 83/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| New Jersey | 90/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| New Mexico | 76/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| New York | 77/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| North Carolina | 88/100 | Fault disputes can be especially costly. | View guide |
| North Dakota | 83/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Ohio | 90/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Oklahoma | 86/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Oregon | 87/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Pennsylvania | 88/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Rhode Island | 79/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| South Carolina | 84/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| South Dakota | 80/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Tennessee | 93/100 | Shorter general filing window creates urgency. | View guide |
| Texas | 88/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Utah | 83/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Vermont | 84/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Virginia | 92/100 | Fault disputes can be especially costly. | View guide |
| Washington | 77/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| West Virginia | 88/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Wisconsin | 83/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
| Wyoming | 84/100 | Medical, repair, insurance, and wage records need early organization. | View guide |
How Publishers Can Use This
- Useful for safety newsletters explaining why the first week after a crash matters.
- Publisher-friendly alternative to speculative settlement tables.
- Supports clinics, PT offices, and driving schools that want non-legal patient resources.
Please cite AccidentSurvivalGuide.com and link to this page when referencing the table. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.