What to do after a car accident in San Antonio comes down to five things: move to safety, call 911, document the scene with photos and video, exchange insurance and driver information, and get medical care the same day. Prompt treatment and clear documentation protect your health and your claim under Texas law, which gives you two years to file.
Start with 911 and medical care, then lock down the scene before evidence disappears. Each step below protects either your safety or your claim, and skipping one gives the at-fault insurer room to dispute what happened.
Call 911 from the scene, even for a minor crash. The officer documents the vehicles and creates the official crash report, so tell them the facts and nothing more. Texas car accident laws and the local factors San Antonio crash victims face both turn on that report.
To get your copy, request the Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report (CR-3) through the TxDOT Crash Records Information System about ten days after the crash, once SAPD files it. You can order it online for a small fee or pick it up from the records division. This is the document insurers and lawyers ask for first.
See a doctor the same day, even if you feel okay. Adrenaline hides pain, and whiplash or concussions surface hours later. A same-day record ties your injuries to the crash and is part of what to do after a car accident in Texas. A gap before your first visit is the top reason insurers cut an offer.
Match the care to the injury. For anything severe, go to a level I trauma center like University Hospital or Brooke Army Medical Center. For broken bones or deep cuts, a freestanding ER works. For pain that is real but not life-threatening, urgent care or your own doctor costs far less. What matters is that the visit is documented the day it happens.
Photograph everything before the vehicles move: damage, plates, skid marks, signals, and the wider intersection. Shoot video too. Then move fast on the evidence that vanishes first:
Exchange names, phone numbers, license and plate numbers, and insurance details with every driver, and note the time and location. If the other driver refuses, let the police report capture it. Talk to witnesses before they leave, since an independent account can settle who ran the light.
Report the crash to your own insurer promptly, since most policies require it, and stick to the basic facts. Be careful with the other driver’s insurer. Right after you’ve been hit, an adjuster may call sounding friendly, but their job is to pay less. Decline a recorded statement and follow the Texas car accident guide before you say anything on the record.
In Texas, you can recover money only if you are 50% or less at fault for the crash. This is called modified comparative fault, and the 51% bar is the line that decides everything.
The split is simple. If you are found 51% or more responsible, you get nothing, no matter how serious your injuries are. If you are 50% or less at fault, you still recover, but your payout drops by your share of the blame.
Say your claim is worth $100,000 and you are found 20% at fault. You collect $80,000. The other 20% comes off the top. That single percentage is why insurers fight so hard to pin extra blame on you, even when the crash was clearly the other driver’s fault.
This rule shapes how car accidents in Texas are valued from day one. The more fault they shift onto you, the less they pay, which is exactly why your photos, the police report, and witness accounts carry so much weight.
Insurance companies handle your claim with one goal: pay as little as possible. The adjuster on your case is trained to find reasons to lower your payout, not to protect you. Everything you documented at the scene matters here, since the adjuster reads the same police report and photos to decide how much fault to pin on you.
Adjusters build that case by looking for:
That recorded statement is the trap most people walk into. The adjuster sounds helpful and asks you to describe the crash “for the file,” but you are not required to give one.
Watch for the early settlement offer, too. It often arrives before you finish treatment, while the full cost of your injuries is still unknown. Once you accept, the claim closes for good, even if surgery or months of therapy come later. An offer that feels fast usually feels low once you add up your real expenses.
Five mistakes after a crash can hand the insurer the leverage to cut your payout, even when the other driver caused it:
Steering clear of the mistakes that can hurt your claim keeps the focus where it belongs: on your recovery and the compensation you are owed.
Contact a lawyer the moment your injuries need real treatment, the other driver disputes fault, or an insurer pressures you to settle fast. These are the points where what you do next decides how much your claim is worth.
You should call right away if any of these apply:
You have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit in Texas. Miss that window and the court will refuse your case, no matter how strong it is. A San Antonio car accident lawyer protects that deadline while you focus on healing.
We handle San Antonio car accident claims from start to finish, so you never face the insurance company alone. Our team investigates the crash, gathers the evidence, and pushes for the full value of your injuries while you focus on recovery.
Your first conversation with us is a free consultation, and you pay no fee unless we win your case. There is no cost to find out what your claim is worth and no risk in asking. Contact us when you are ready, and we will walk you through your options.
You have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit in Texas. After that deadline passes, the court will almost always refuse your case, so act well before the two years run out.
File a claim under your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage if you have it. This coverage pays for your injuries when the at-fault driver cannot, and a lawyer can confirm what your policy allows.
Yes, as long as you are 50% or less at fault. Your payout drops by your share of the blame, but you recover nothing if you are found 51% or more responsible under Texas law.
No, but it helps enormously. A police report is strong, independent proof of what happened, and without one your claim often comes down to your word against the other driver’s.
Sí. Atendemos a clientes en español y lo guiamos en cada paso de su reclamo después de un accidente en San Antonio. La consulta es gratis y no cobramos a menos que ganemos su caso.
Thompson Law charges NO FEE unless we obtain a settlement for your case. We’ve put over $1.9 billion in cash settlements in our clients’ pockets. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your accident, get your questions answered, and understand your legal options.
State law limits the time you have to file a claim after an injury accident, so call today.
