The hours after a crash are confusing, painful and full of decisions you did not expect to make. A few of those decisions quietly determine whether you are fairly compensated months from now. This guide walks through them in the order they come up.
At The Scene
1. Get To Safety And Call 911
If the vehicles are drivable and you are on a busy road, move them to the shoulder. If anyone is hurt, or the vehicles cannot be moved, stay put with your hazard lights on and call 911. Texas law requires you to report a crash that involves injury, death or vehicle damage that leaves a car undrivable, and a police report is the single most useful document your claim will ever have.
2. Accept Medical Attention
Adrenaline masks injury. Whiplash, concussions and soft-tissue damage routinely take a day or two to announce themselves. If paramedics offer to check you, let them, and if they recommend transport, go. Insurers read a gap between the crash and your first medical visit as evidence that you were not really hurt.
3. Document Everything You Can
- Photograph all vehicles from every side, the license plates, the road, skid marks, debris, traffic signals and any visible injuries.
- Get the other driver’s name, phone number, driver’s license, plate number and insurance card — photograph the card rather than copying it.
- Ask witnesses for a name and number. Independent witnesses disappear quickly and are worth a great deal.
- Note the responding officer’s name and agency, and ask how to obtain the crash report.
4. Say Less Than You Think You Should
Be polite, exchange information, and stop there. Do not apologize, speculate about speed, or say you are “fine.” Anything you say can end up in the other driver’s insurance file.
- Insurance card and registration
- A pen and a small notebook
- This checklist — print it or save it to your phone
The Same Day
5. See A Doctor, Even If You Feel Okay
An urgent care clinic or your own physician is fine. Describe every symptom, however minor. The medical record created today is the baseline against which every later complaint is measured.
6. Notify Your Own Insurer
Most policies require prompt notice of a crash, and reporting it protects your own coverage — including uninsured and underinsured motorist benefits you may need if the other driver turns out to be uninsured. Stick to the basic facts: when, where, who. You do not need to give a detailed statement yet.
7. Do Not Talk To The Other Driver’s Insurer
Their adjuster may call within hours, sounding helpful. You are not obligated to give a recorded statement, and you should not. Here is why.
The First Week
8. Start A File
Keep every receipt, discharge sheet, prescription, estimate and letter in one place. Start a short daily note about your pain, what you could not do, and the time you missed from work. Memory fades; the note does not.
9. Stay Off Social Media
Insurers look. A photo of you at a birthday party becomes “evidence” that your back was fine. Post nothing about the crash, your injuries, or your recovery until your case is over.
10. Talk To A Lawyer Before You Sign Anything
Early settlement offers are designed to close your file before the full extent of your injuries is known. Once you sign a release, the claim is over — even if you need surgery next month. A consultation with a Texas trial lawyer is free, and it costs you nothing to learn what your case may be worth before you decide.
Free consultation. No fee unless we win. We handle the insurer so you can focus on recovering.
Key Takeaways
- Call 911 and accept medical care; the police report and your first medical visit anchor the claim.
- Photograph everything and collect witness contacts before you leave the scene.
- Report the crash to your own insurer, but give no recorded statement to the other side.
- Do not sign a release or accept a quick check before speaking with a lawyer.
The Plummer Law Firm, PLLC
Articles are prepared by the firm’s legal team and reflect Texas law at the time of writing. They are general information, not legal advice about your case.
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