Questions About Car Accidents

Call 911, check for injuries, and move to a safe place if you can. Get medical help, report the crash, exchange information, take photos, gather witness names, and avoid admitting fault at the scene. Your health and safety come first.

Yes, especially if anyone is injured, a vehicle cannot be driven, the other driver leaves, or there is major property damage. A police report can help document what happened and may become important in an insurance claim or lawsuit.

Yes. Some injuries do not show up right away. A medical visit can protect your health and create a record connecting your injuries to the crash.

You should still pay attention to your body and consider a medical evaluation. Pain, headaches, dizziness, neck stiffness, back pain, and concussion symptoms can appear hours or days after a crash.

Get the other driver’s name, phone number, insurance information, license plate number, driver’s license information, vehicle description, witness names, photos, videos, and the police report number if available.

Take photos of vehicle damage, license plates, the accident scene, skid marks, traffic lights, stop signs, road conditions, debris, visible injuries, airbags, seatbelts, and anything else that may show how the crash happened.

Be careful. You should be honest, but you do not have to give a recorded statement or guess about fault. Insurance adjusters may use your words to limit or deny your claim.

Not without understanding the risks. A recorded statement can be used against you later. Before giving one to the other driver’s insurance company, it is wise to speak with an attorney.

No. Do not admit fault at the scene or to an insurance company. You may not know all the facts yet, and the crash may have been caused by another driver, a vehicle defect, unsafe road conditions, or multiple parties.

Do not accept blame without an investigation. Photos, witness statements, police reports, vehicle damage, traffic cameras, dash camera footage, and accident reconstruction may tell a different story.

Many Texas car accident injury claims must be filed within two years of the crash. Some cases may involve shorter deadlines or special notice rules, so it is important to speak with an attorney quickly.

If the deadline passes, you may lose your right to file a lawsuit. Even if your injuries are serious, a missed deadline can make it much harder or impossible to recover compensation.

You may still have a claim depending on your percentage of fault. Texas uses proportionate responsibility rules, which can reduce or prevent recovery depending on how fault is divided.

In many Texas personal injury cases, a person who is more than 50% responsible cannot recover damages. That is why fault evidence is so important after a car accident.

Depending on the case, damages may include medical bills, future medical care, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain, mental anguish, physical impairment, disfigurement, property damage, and other legally recoverable losses.

Possibly. If another driver caused your injuries, you may be able to recover past medical bills and future medical expenses related to the crash.

Yes, if your injuries caused you to miss work or lose income. Pay stubs, tax records, employer letters, and medical restrictions can help prove lost wages.

Possibly. If your injuries affect your ability to return to your job, work full time, perform physical tasks, or earn the same income, you may have a claim for loss of earning capacity.

Possibly. Pain and suffering may be part of a personal injury claim when another person’s negligence caused your injuries. This may include physical pain, discomfort, emotional distress, and loss of quality of life.

Possibly. Serious crashes can cause anxiety, fear of driving, sleep problems, depression, or post-traumatic stress. These harms should be documented with medical or mental health evidence when possible.

Common injuries include whiplash, neck injuries, back injuries, herniated discs, broken bones, concussions, traumatic brain injuries, shoulder injuries, knee injuries, internal injuries, burns, cuts, scarring, and emotional trauma.

Yes, depending on the facts. Whiplash can cause neck pain, stiffness, headaches, dizziness, shoulder pain, and limited movement. Medical records are important for proving this type of injury.

Possibly. A concussion may happen even if you did not lose consciousness. Symptoms can include headaches, confusion, dizziness, nausea, memory issues, mood changes, and trouble concentrating.

Yes, if the crash caused or worsened the injury. Back injury claims may involve muscle strains, disc injuries, nerve damage, fractures, or chronic pain.

Delayed symptoms are common. Get medical care as soon as symptoms appear and tell your doctor you were involved in a car accident. Waiting too long can make it easier for an insurance company to question your claim.

A pre-existing condition does not automatically prevent a claim. If the crash made an old injury worse or caused new symptoms, you may still have legal rights.

You may have options through your own uninsured motorist coverage if you purchased it. An attorney can review your policy and explain whether coverage may apply.

You may have an underinsured motorist claim through your own policy if your damages exceed the at-fault driver’s insurance limits and you purchased that coverage.

Uninsured motorist coverage may help protect you when the at-fault driver has no insurance. It can be especially important in serious injury cases.

Underinsured motorist coverage may apply when the at-fault driver has insurance, but not enough to cover your injuries and losses.

Texas minimum liability coverage is commonly described as 30/60/25, meaning $30,000 for bodily injury per person, $60,000 for bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage.

Often, no. Serious injuries can quickly exceed minimum insurance limits. That is why uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage may be important.

Call the police immediately and report the hit-and-run. If possible, write down the license plate number, vehicle description, driver description, direction of travel, and any witness information. Your own insurance may also be important.

Possibly. If the driver is found, you may have a claim against that driver. If the driver is not found, uninsured motorist coverage may help if it is available under your policy.

Passengers often have claims when they are injured in a crash. Depending on the facts, a passenger may have a claim against one driver, both drivers, or another responsible party.

A drunk driving crash may support a personal injury claim. Evidence may include the police report, arrest records, blood alcohol testing, witness statements, and crash evidence.

Distracted driving may involve texting, phone use, GPS, eating, grooming, or other distractions. Cell phone records, witness statements, dash camera footage, and vehicle data may help prove distraction.

Speeding can increase the severity of a crash and may help prove negligence. Evidence may include skid marks, vehicle damage, witness statements, dash camera footage, traffic cameras, and crash reconstruction.

Commercial vehicle crashes may involve both the driver and the company. The company may be responsible for unsafe hiring, poor training, bad maintenance, or allowing unsafe driving.

Poor road design, missing signs, dangerous construction zones, debris, or unsafe traffic control may contribute to a crash. These cases can involve special rules and shorter deadlines, especially if a government entity may be responsible.

If a defective tire, brake system, airbag, seatbelt, steering part, or other vehicle component caused or worsened the crash, a product liability claim may be possible.

You can take steps to protect your property, but take detailed photos first and keep repair estimates, invoices, and insurance communications. In serious injury cases, vehicle damage can be important evidence.

No. Insurance companies may review social media posts. Photos, jokes, check-ins, or comments can be taken out of context and used against your claim.

Be careful. Early settlement offers may not include future medical care, lost income, long-term pain, or permanent impairment. Once you sign a release, you may not be able to ask for more money later.

The value depends on your injuries, medical treatment, lost income, future care, pain, impairment, fault, insurance coverage, and evidence. No attorney should promise a specific result without reviewing the facts.

A car accident lawyer investigates the crash, gathers evidence, communicates with insurance companies, reviews medical records, calculates damages, negotiates settlement, and files a lawsuit when needed.

The Law Office of Don McClure offers a free consultation. In many injury cases, there are no upfront attorney’s fees, and no attorney’s fees unless money is recovered for you. The exact fee terms are explained in the written agreement.

A contingency fee means the attorney’s fee is based on the recovery in your case. Instead of paying attorney’s fees upfront, the fee is paid from the settlement or verdict if money is recovered.

The Law Office of Don McClure serves car accident victims in Houston, Harris County, Greater Houston, and Southeast Texas, including Pasadena, Baytown, Deer Park, La Porte, Pearland, Friendswood, League City, Missouri City, Stafford, Katy, Tomball, Webster, and surrounding communities.

The Law Office of Don McClure helps injured people understand their rights after serious car crashes in Houston, Harris County, Greater Houston, and Southeast Texas. The firm offers free consultations and handles many injury cases with no attorney’s fees unless money is recovered.