Injured in a Texas Car Accident? Here's What You're Owed.
In addition to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and property damage, you may be entitled to other types of compensation after a car accident — including pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. Our team of legal professionals will work with you to determine the full extent of damages you are entitled to and fight for maximum compensation on your behalf. Let us handle the law so you can focus on recovery.
You should hire the best personal injury attorney you can find — and driving a car is a requirement of life for the majority of Texans, so when a crash happens, having a Texas car accident lawyer who knows these roads and these courts makes the difference.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Texas
- Call 911 and get medical care, even if injuries seem minor.
- Photograph the scene and vehicles, and collect the other driver's insurance and contact details.
- Request the police crash report (CR-3).
- Don't give a recorded statement to insurers before speaking with a lawyer.
Pedestrians Hit by Cars
Texas ranks among the most hazardous states for pedestrians, who lack the protection of a metal shell and are far more vulnerable in a collision. It is every driver's responsibility to be aware of others sharing the road. If you've been injured by a car while walking, we can help you make a case for full compensation for your damages.
"If anybody's been in a bad car accident, call Lindsey. She's the best. She does a great job and you will love her!"Rogenia Isham · Car Accident · $100,000 Settlement
Recent Car Accident Recoveries
- $500,000 — Car wreck, commercial vehicle (Clifford F.)
- $184,000 — Car wreck / rideshare (Veronica R.)
- $165,000 — Car wreck (Terry G.)
- $148,750 — Car accident (Daryll H.)
- Dozens of policy-limit and double-policy-limit recoveries — see all results
How Texas Car Accident Compensation Works
Texas law lets injured crash victims recover two broad categories of damages. Economic damages cover every dollar the crash costs you: emergency care, surgery, physical therapy, prescription costs, future medical treatment, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, and vehicle repair or replacement. Non-economic damages compensate what a receipt can't show: physical pain, mental anguish, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. In cases involving gross negligence — a drunk driver, a street racer — Texas also allows exemplary (punitive) damages designed to punish the wrongdoer.
Texas Is a Fault State With a 51% Bar
Texas follows modified comparative fault, known as proportionate responsibility. You can recover compensation as long as you were not more than 50% responsible for the crash, but your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. Insurance adjusters know this — which is why their first move is often to pin partial blame on you. A recorded statement given without a lawyer is the most common way that happens. Don't give one.
Why the Insurance Minimums Are Rarely Enough
Texas drivers are only required to carry 30/60/25 liability coverage — $30,000 per injured person, $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 in property damage. A single night in a Texas ICU can exceed the per-person minimum. That's why we investigate every available source of recovery: the at-fault driver's policy, your own underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, umbrella policies, and — when a commercial vehicle or employer is involved — the company behind the driver. Many of our car accident results are policy-limit and double-policy-limit recoveries for exactly this reason.
Car Accident Representation Across Texas
From Interstate 30 through Sulphur Springs and Greenville, to the I-635 interchange in Dallas, Loop 323 in Tyler, and the Katy Freeway in Houston, our attorneys know the corridors where Texans get hurt. With offices in Sulphur Springs, Dallas, Tyler, Houston, San Antonio, El Paso, Austin, and Greenville — and a Rapid Response team that comes to your doorstep — McKay Law represents injured drivers, passengers, and pedestrians statewide.
What to Do in the Days and Weeks After a Crash
The scene checklist above protects your claim on day one — but most claims are won or lost in the weeks that follow. See a doctor within 24–72 hours even if you feel "just sore": adrenaline masks soft-tissue, disc, and mild traumatic brain injuries, and insurance adjusters treat any gap in treatment as proof you weren't really hurt. Follow every treatment recommendation and keep every appointment; a broken treatment record is the single most common reason Texas car accident settlements come in low. Keep a simple file — photos of your injuries as they heal, receipts for prescriptions and mileage to appointments, and notes on what activities you can no longer do. And route every insurance contact through your lawyer: you are required to cooperate with your own insurer, but you owe the other driver's adjuster nothing, least of all a recorded statement.
The Most Common Causes of Texas Car Accidents
Distracted driving — texting at highway speed means crossing a football field blind — remains the leading cause of Texas crashes, followed closely by speeding and driving under the influence. Texas consistently leads the nation in drunk-driving fatalities, and when an intoxicated driver hurts you, exemplary damages and dram shop claims against the bar that overserved them can both come into play. Red-light and intersection collisions, unsafe lane changes, tailgating, and fatigued driving round out the list. Cause matters because it shapes the evidence: a distracted-driving case is built on cell phone records we subpoena; a drunk-driving case on toxicology, bar receipts, and witness accounts; an intersection case on signal-timing data and traffic camera footage.
Injuries We See in Texas Car Accident Cases
Whiplash and other neck and back injuries are the most common — and the most disputed, because they don't show on an X-ray. Herniated and bulging discs, torn ligaments, and nerve impingement can mean months of therapy or surgery. Higher-energy collisions produce broken bones, internal injuries, and traumatic brain injuries ranging from concussion to permanent cognitive impairment; a TBI can change a person's career and personality even when the car barely looks damaged. Our dedicated staff nurse guides clients to the right specialists — orthopedists, neurologists, pain management — both to get you well and to ensure your injuries are properly documented for your claim.
How Insurance Companies Fight Texas Car Accident Claims
Adjusters are trained negotiators working from a playbook: call quickly and sound friendly while you're still shaken; request a recorded statement and mine it for admissions; offer a fast, small settlement before you know your diagnosis; blame pre-existing conditions for your pain; dispute medical necessity of your treatment; and drag the claim out hoping bills pressure you into accepting less. Every tactic has a counter. We take over all communication on day one, build the medical record before talking numbers, and prepare each case as if a Hopkins County, Dallas County, or Smith County jury will decide it — because insurers pay more to lawyers they know will try the case.
The Life of a Texas Car Accident Claim
Investigation (weeks 1–4): we gather the CR-3 crash report, photographs, witness statements, and available video, and put insurers on notice. Treatment (months 1–6+): you focus on recovery while we track records and bills; settling before you reach maximum medical improvement means guessing at your damages. Demand and negotiation: we assemble a demand package documenting liability and every category of damages, then negotiate from strength. Litigation, if needed: most cases settle, but when an insurer won't pay fair value we file suit, conduct discovery, take depositions, and try the case. Throughout, you owe nothing unless and until we win.
Why Injured Texans Choose McKay Law for Car Accident Claims
Three things separate our car accident practice. First, complete handling: we manage your bodily injury claim, your property damage at no fee, and — through our Texas Nursing Board Certified staff nurse — your medical care coordination, so a single phone call genuinely handles everything. Second, availability that matches how crashes happen: phones answered 24/7, consultations in English and Spanish, and a team that comes to your doorstep anywhere in Texas when injuries keep you home. Third, a record insurers recognize: over $100 million recovered, a wall of policy-limit and double-policy-limit car wreck results, a 4.9-star rating across 430+ Google reviews, and a trial attorney — Lindsey McKay, State Bar of Texas No. 24064154 — whose credentials include the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forums. Insurance companies price claims partly on the lawyer's willingness to try the case. Ours is documented.
Car Accident Questions, Answered
How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Texas?
The statute of limitations for most Texas personal injury claims is two years from the date of the injury. Some situations shorten or extend that window, so speak with an attorney quickly to protect your right to compensation.
What is my case worth?
Case value depends on your medical bills, lost wages, future care, and pain and suffering — there is no fixed formula. A free case review gives you an accurate range for your specific situation.
How much does a car accident lawyer cost?
Nothing upfront. We work on contingency — the fee is a percentage of the recovery and is only owed if you win. The consultation is free, and there's no fee unless we win.
Do I have to go to court?
Most cases settle without trial. We prepare every case as if it will go to trial — which strengthens your negotiating position — and we're fully ready to take your case to a Texas jury if the insurer won't offer fair compensation.
What if the other driver was uninsured?
Roughly one in five Texas drivers carries no insurance. If you have uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, we can pursue your own insurer for compensation — and Texas law prohibits them from raising your rates for filing a UM/UIM claim.
Can I still recover if I was partly at fault?
Yes, as long as you were not more than 50% responsible. Under Texas proportionate responsibility rules, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault — which is why fighting inflated fault assignments is central to our strategy.
Should I accept the insurance company's first offer?
Almost never. First offers typically arrive before the full extent of your injuries is known and rarely account for future treatment or lost earning capacity. Once you accept and sign a release, you cannot ask for more — even if your condition worsens.
How long does a Texas car accident settlement take?
Straightforward claims with clear liability often resolve in three to nine months, driven mostly by how long your medical treatment takes. Disputed-liability cases or serious-injury claims that go into litigation can take a year or more — and are usually worth the wait, because rushed settlements are underpaid settlements.
What if it was a hit-and-run?
Report it to police immediately. Your own uninsured motorist coverage can compensate you as if the fleeing driver were uninsured, and our investigators frequently identify hit-and-run drivers through traffic cameras, doorbell video, and vehicle debris.
Do I need a lawyer for a minor accident?
If you weren't injured, often not. But "minor" crashes cause real injuries more often than people expect, and studies consistently show represented claimants recover substantially more even after fees. Our consultation is free — it costs nothing to find out what your claim is actually worth.