passenger of the car that hit me got out and started coming at me — did I handle it right?

Did the police actually file a report, or did they just take your info and leave? There's a difference between an officer writing up an official report and just making a note of the call. If you're not sure, call the non-emergency line and ask for the report number. You're going to need that document for basically everything going forward.

Whatever you do, do NOT give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance without thinking it through first. They will absolutely try to use the fact that you were 'upset' at the scene to paint you as the aggressor or say you were 'erratic.' Insurance adjusters are trained to fish for anything they can use against you. Be careful what you say and to whom.

Three things: 1) Get a medical eval today if you haven't. 2) Write down everything you remember right now while it's fresh — what they said, what happened in what order, what the passenger looked like. 3) Don't post about this on your personal social media. Anything you say publicly can get pulled into a claim. You're already doing the right things, just keep going.

I just want to say — you were literally just standing there minding your business after someone hit YOU, and a stranger came out of nowhere to physically intimidate you. You have nothing to feel bad about. I'm glad you got in your car and called 911 instead of letting it escalate further. Take care of yourself first, okay?

From the inside, I can tell you that the passenger getting out and assaulting you is actually a separate issue from the accident itself — and it's one most people don't think to document separately. You were smart to call police. Make sure that incident report specifically mentions the phone being knocked down and the passenger's behavior. That's potentially a separate civil matter on top of your auto claim, and having it in a police report keeps your options open.

You handled that way better than I would have. When I got rear-ended two years ago I was totally frozen and forgot to record anything — you actually kept your head together under pressure. The fact that you have the plate on video is huge. That alone can make or break things if they try to deny it later.

Please don't brush off that neck soreness. Whiplash symptoms can be sneaky — sometimes the real stiffness and pain doesn't peak until 48-72 hours after impact, or even later. If you haven't already, go get checked out. An ER or urgent care visit creates a medical record that ties your injury directly to the date of the accident, which matters a lot if this becomes a claim. Don't wait until it gets worse.

The footage you captured before your phone hit the ground could be really important — even if the screen cracked, the video file might still be recoverable. Try backing it up immediately if you haven't. Also, since the other party left the scene before police arrived, depending on your state that could actually count as a hit-and-run even though they initially stopped, which might open up additional options under your own uninsured/underinsured coverage. Worth asking about when you talk to someone.