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What to Do After a Car Accident in Texas
You're shaken up, maybe hurt, and your car might be totaled. The last thing you want to think about right now is "what happens next." But the next hour and the next few days matter — for your health and for your ability to get help paying for what this accident cost you.
Here's a straightforward, step-by-step guide from a Houston personal injury attorney on what to do after an accident — and what to avoid.
Disclaimer: This page is general information, not legal advice for your specific situation. Every accident is different. If you want to know where you stand, contact us and we'll walk through it with you.
McKinnon Law Step-by-Step Guide
Before anything else, check yourself and any passengers for injuries. Call 911 even if the accident feels minor — a police response creates an official accident report, which matters more than most people realize later on.
Why this matters: Adrenaline masks pain. Injuries like whiplash, concussions, and soft tissue damage often don't show symptoms for 24–72 hours. Getting checked out isn't being dramatic — it's protecting your health and creating a medical record that ties your injury to the accident.
Step 1: Check for Injuries and Call 911
If the vehicles are drivable and no one is seriously hurt, move to the shoulder or a nearby parking lot. Turn on hazard lights. Houston freeways and feeder roads move fast — staying in an active lane is dangerous.
Step 6: Notify Your Insurance Company
Step 2: Move to Safety (If You Can)
You're generally required to report the accident to your own insurer, even if the other driver was at fault. Stick to the basic facts: date, time, location, and who was involved. You don't need to speculate about fault or injuries at this stage.
Be cautious with the other driver's insurance company. They may call you within days asking for a "recorded statement." You are not obligated to give one, and it's rarely in your best interest to do so before you understand your claim. Their goal is to close the claim for as little as possible — that's their job, not a personal favor to you.
If you're able, use your phone to capture:
Photos of all vehicles involved, from multiple angles
License plates, vehicle makes/models, and visible damage
The accident location, street signs, traffic signals, and road conditions
Any visible injuries
Contact and insurance information for every driver involved
Names and contact info for any witnesses
This documentation often becomes the backbone of a claim later. Insurance adjusters — including your own — will ask for details you won't remember clearly in a week.
Step 7: Keep Records of Everything
Save every piece of paper and every message related to the accident:
Police report number
Medical bills and treatment records
Repair estimates and vehicle damage photos
Days missed from work
Any correspondence with insurance companies
If your case moves forward, this record is what supports the value of your claim.
Step 3: Document Everything at the Scene
It's natural to want to apologize or say "I'm fine" out of politeness, even when you're not sure yet. Be careful here. Statements like "I'm okay" or "I didn't see you" can end up in a police report or get repeated back to you by an insurance company later — even if they weren't accurate or complete.
Stick to facts when speaking with the other driver and police. You don't have to determine fault at the scene. That's not your job.
Step 8: Understand Texas's Filing Deadline
Texas law generally gives you two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. That sounds like a long time, but evidence disappears, witnesses' memories fade, and insurance companies are in no hurry to make it easy on you. The earlier you understand your options, the more leverage you have.
Disclaimer: This is general information about Texas law, not a guarantee about your case's deadline. Some circumstances affect this timeline — talk to an attorney to confirm where you stand.
Step 4: Be Careful What You Say at the Scene
Step 5: Get Medical Attention, Even If You Feel "Fine"
This is the step people skip most often — and the one that causes the most problems later.
If you don't see a doctor within a reasonable window after the accident, an insurance company can (and will) argue that your injury wasn't serious, or wasn't caused by the crash at all. Seeing a doctor isn't just about your health — though that's reason enough. It's also the single most important piece of evidence connecting your injury to this accident.
Disclaimer: This page is general information, not legal advice for your specific situation. Every accident is different. If you want to know where you stand, contact us and we'll walk through it with you.