How long should I wait before applying for a credit card?

Last summer (2005) I got in a car accident, not my fault, and I didnt have credit at the time. So, I had to go to 10 different dealerships and apply for a loan but it took the tenth try to actually get it. When I tried applying for a credit card five months ago, it said I was denied due to ';too many credit checks';. I applied for two more and it said the same thing. This sucks, the accident ruined my credit and it wasnt even my fault. When should I try to apply for another card? I NEED ONE