This paper presents in a unified framework the most representative state-of-the-art techniques on a posteriori error assessment for second order hyperbolic problems, i.e., structural transient dynamics. For the sake of presentation, the error estimates are grouped in four types: recovery-based estimates, the dual weighted residual method, the constitutive relation error method and error estimates for timeline-dependent quantities of interest. All these methodologies give a comprehensive overview on the available error assessment techniques in structural dynamics, both for energy-like and goal-oriented estimates.