Everyone says the police handle the paperwork, but actually in Wisconsin you need to make sure a report gets filed within 10 days if the crash caused any injury or enough property damage.

The first big factor is whether law enforcement investigated the crash.

If a Green Bay officer, Brown County deputy, or Wisconsin State Patrol came out and made an official crash report, that usually covers the reporting requirement. If nobody came, or they told you to "just exchange information," do not assume you're done. Wisconsin expects a report to reach the Wisconsin Department of Transportation when the crash meets the reporting rules.

The second big factor is how serious the crash was.

A report is generally required if there was injury or death, or if property damage hit the Wisconsin thresholds - typically $1,000 or more to any one person's property or $200 or more to government property. A bike crash on a busy Green Bay corridor or near the Fox Valley run of I-41/US-41 can easily cross that line, especially if your bicycle, helmet, phone, or another vehicle was damaged. If you were knocked down, had pain, bleeding, dizziness, or later went to the ER or urgent care, treat it as an injury crash.

The third big factor is whether another deadline is hiding behind the crash.

If a city bus, county vehicle, or other government vehicle was involved, or a dangerous road condition played a role, separate notice-of-claim deadlines can apply and they are much shorter than the normal injury lawsuit deadline. That is where people who moved from another state get burned.

Right now, protect yourself:

• Get the incident number and ask which agency made the report
• If no report was made, submit the crash information to WisDOT before 10 days runs
• Save photos of the bike, road, intersection, clothing, and your injuries
• Get medical care right away if symptoms started after the adrenaline wore off