The steps taken after a Houston car accident can affect medical recovery, insurance coverage, and the evidence available if liability becomes disputed. Some decisions require immediate attention, including seeking medical care, reporting the collision, and documenting the scene. Others become important over the following weeks and months, as medical expenses accumulate, insurers investigate, and the full extent of injuries becomes clearer.
Texas recorded 4,150 traffic fatalities in 2024, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. For people who survive serious collisions, the consequences often continue long after the accident, particularly when injuries require ongoing treatment or prevent a return to work.
Timing also matters under Texas law. Evidence such as surveillance footage and witness information can become harder to obtain, while personal injury lawsuits generally must be filed within two years under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003, subject to exceptions. Preserving evidence, identifying responsible parties, and documenting losses are essential parts of preparing an injury claim. These are also central to the work of Sutliff & Stout’s Houston automobile accident attorneys, a firm co-founded by trial lawyers Graham Sutliff and Hank Stout that reports recovering more than $1 billion for injured clients.
This timeline explains what to do during the first 24 hours, the first week, the first month, and the months leading up to the two-year filing deadline. We’ll include which records to preserve, which deadlines to monitor, and which mistakes to avoid.
What Should Happen in the First Hour?
The first hour is about safety.
- Check yourself and your passengers. Call 911 if anyone is hurt.
- If the car can move and it is safe, pull to the side of the road. On a freeway, leave the vehicle only if it is safe to do so.
- Turn on hazard lights.
- Call the police, even if the crash seems small. A report helps later.
- Do not argue about fault.
- Do not say “I’m sorry” in a way that sounds like an admission. Showing care is fine. Guessing about the cause is not.
Texas law requires a driver to stop at the scene of a crash and share contact and insurance details. Leaving the scene can be a crime.
What Should Be Collected at the Scene?
If you are able, gather the following.
- Photos of all vehicles, plates, damage, and the road.
- Photos of traffic signs, signals, and skid marks.
- The other driver’s name, phone number, and insurance details.
- Names and phone numbers of witnesses.
- The officer’s name and the report number.
- Notes on the time, the weather, and the location.
If you are hurt and cannot do this, ask a passenger or bystander to help. Do not move an injured person unless there is danger.
What Should Happen on Day One?
The rest of the first day is for care and basic notice.
- Get medical care, even if you feel fine. Some injuries show up days later.
- Tell the doctor exactly how the crash happened and where it hurts.
- Notify your own insurance company of the crash. Give facts, not guesses.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer.
- Write down what you remember while it is fresh.
- Do not post about the crash on social media.
Texas drivers must also file a report with the state within 10 days if the crash caused injury, death, or enough property damage and police did not file a report. A lawyer or the Texas Department of Transportation can explain the form. Check the current rule and the damage threshold before the deadline.
What Should Happen in Week One?
Week one is for building the record.
- Follow every medical instruction and keep every appointment.
- Start a daily note about pain, sleep, and limits on normal life.
- Keep all bills, receipts, and prescriptions in one folder.
- Get a repair estimate or a total loss notice for the car.
- Ask the police when the crash report will be ready.
- Save photos of injuries as bruises change.
- Ask your employer for a letter about missed work.
From an insurance adjuster’s perspective, steady care and clear notes make a claim easier to value. Gaps in care make it easier to question.
What Should Happen in Month One?
By the end of the first month, you should know more about the injury and the insurance picture.
- Gather the final crash report and check it for errors.
- Ask your insurer which coverages apply. These may include collision, medical payments, personal injury protection, and uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
- Find out the other driver’s policy limits if possible.
- Speak with a lawyer. Many injury lawyers offer free consultations, and the firm works on a contingency basis, which means clients pay no legal fees unless money is recovered.
- Keep tracking pay lost and costs paid out of pocket.
- Do not sign a release or accept a quick offer before you know the full cost of the injury.
An early offer can look tempting. But once a release is signed, the claim is usually over, even if the injury turns out to be worse than expected.
What About Trucks and Commercial Vehicles?
If a truck or company vehicle was involved, the list changes. Companies have lawyers and insurers who act fast. The company also keeps records that can disappear.
Harris County had 6,117 crashes involving commercial motor vehicles in 2023, with 40 deaths and 149 suspected serious injuries, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Statewide, there were 38,928 such crashes and 621 deaths.
In a truck case, add these reminders.
- Photograph the company name, truck number, and plates.
- Ask a lawyer to send a preservation letter for logs, video, and maintenance records.
- Do not talk with the trucking company’s adjuster alone.
Hank Stout, a co-founder of the firm and a Texas Bar Foundation Fellow, practices in the field of truck and commercial vehicle claims. The firm reports a 13,314,000 dollar Harris County jury verdict from June 2023 for a wrongful death caused by an 18-wheeler crash. The insurer plans to appeal. Past results do not promise a future outcome.
What Should Happen in Months Two Through Six?
Medical treatment often takes center stage.
- Continue care and follow the plan.
- Ask doctors to note any lasting limits or future care.
- Keep a record of missed work and reduced hours.
- Review insurance letters carefully, and keep copies.
- Do not delete texts, photos, or social media posts.
- Tell your lawyer about any new symptoms.
Some injuries need a longer time to settle. A claim is usually best valued when doctors know how the injury will heal. That point is often called maximum medical improvement. Settling too early can mean less than a fair amount.
What Is the Big Deadline in Year Two?
Texas generally allows two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit, under section 16.003 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code. Missing this deadline can end a claim, no matter how strong it was.
Other deadlines may be shorter. A claim against a city or other government body can have a notice period of only a few months. Your own insurance policy may have time limits for certain claims. A lawyer can check each one.
Put these dates on a calendar.
- The date of the crash.
- Six months after the crash, as a check on shorter notice rules.
- One year after the crash, as a check on progress.
- Twenty months after the crash, as a warning to file soon.
- Two years after the crash, as the usual last day.
How Does Shared Fault Affect the Claim?
Texas uses proportionate responsibility. A person found more than 50 percent at fault cannot recover. A person who is 50 percent or less at fault can recover, but the award is reduced by that person’s share. If a jury finds you 10 percent at fault, you receive 90 percent of the total.
For that reason, it is important to avoid statements that suggest blame. Good photos, witness names, and a police report all help show what really happened.
What Is a Simple Version of the List?
Here is the short version to keep on a phone.
- Safety first. Call for help.
- Photos, names, and the report number.
- See a doctor the same day.
- Tell your insurer. Do not give a recorded statement to the other side.
- Keep a daily note and a bill folder.
- Speak with a lawyer before signing anything.
- Watch the two year deadline.
What Is the Main Message?
A crash is a hard day, but the days after it are just as important. A reminder list turns a confusing time into a set of small steps. Houston drivers who follow the list protect their health, their records, and their right to seek fair payment. Share it with family members, and keep it where you can find it in a hurry. The best time to read it is before you need it.
