What to Do After a Car Accident in Texas

A car accident happens in seconds, but the decisions you make afterward can affect your health and finances for years. In Texas, thousands of families face this moment without knowing what to do or who to turn to. This guide explains, step by step and in plain language, how to protect what matters most: your well-being and your rights.

1. Get to safety and check for injuries

Your safety comes first. If you can move, get out of traffic to a safe place. Check whether you or your passengers are hurt. Don't move a seriously injured person unless there's immediate danger (such as fire).

2. Call 911

In Texas you're required to report any accident that causes injury, death, or significant damage. Calling 911 does two important things: it brings medical help and creates an official police report, which will be a key piece of your case.

3. Document everything at the scene

If your condition allows, use your phone to gather evidence. This is worth its weight in gold for your case:

• Photos of all vehicles involved, from several angles.
• Photos of the scene: traffic signs, skid marks, weather.
• The other driver's plates, license, and insurance.
• Names and phone numbers of witnesses.
• The report number from the officer who arrived.

4. Seek medical care immediately

This is the step most people skip, and the most costly. Many serious injuries —like whiplash, concussions, or internal damage— show no symptoms until days later. If you wait, you not only risk your health: the insurance company will use that delay to argue you weren't really hurt.

5. Be careful with the insurance company

The other driver's insurer will likely call you quickly, sounding friendly and offering a check. Remember: their job is to pay as little as possible. Before accepting money, signing documents, or giving a recorded statement, talk to a lawyer.

1. 1Don't admit fault, not even out of courtesy.
2. 2Don't accept the first offer: it's almost always far less than you deserve.
3. 3Don't sign anything you don't fully understand.

6. Talk to a personal injury lawyer

An accident lawyer investigates who was at fault, calculates the real value of your case (including future medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering), and negotiates with the insurer so you receive what's fair. At Ruiz & Associates we work on contingency: you pay nothing unless we win your case.

How long do I have to act?

In Texas, the law generally gives you 2 years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. It sounds like a lot, but evidence disappears fast and witnesses forget details. The sooner you start, the stronger your case.