Why Texas Car Accidents Are So Serious
Texas leads the nation in traffic deaths and has recorded a fatality on its roads every single day for over two decades. Its booming metros, wide high-speed arterials, and enormous network of freeways and rural highways combine to produce some of the highest crash totals in the country. Metro Houston and DFW have some of the busiest urban freeways in America, while long stretches of I-10, I-20, and US highways carry traffic at high speed across vast distances.
Add heavy commercial truck traffic, frequent flooding in Houston and along the coast, dust and wind events in West Texas, and a steady influx of new residents, and ordinary mistakes turn into catastrophic collisions.
Texas Fault and Insurance Rules
Texas is an at-fault state, so the driver who causes a crash is responsible for the harm. Texas follows modified comparative fault (proportionate responsibility) under Chapter 33, so you can recover as long as you are not more than 51% at fault, with your award reduced by your share. Texas requires drivers to carry minimum liability coverage of just 30,000 dollars per person and 60,000 dollars per accident, which rarely covers a serious injury. Identifying every available policy — including underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage — is often what separates a token offer from full compensation.
Compensation You May Be Owed
After a Texas car accident you may recover current and future medical expenses, lost wages and reduced earning capacity, vehicle and property damage, and non-economic damages such as pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. Texas does not cap compensatory damages in ordinary injury cases, so there is no artificial ceiling on a legitimate claim. Where a drunk or grossly negligent driver caused the crash, punitive (exemplary) damages may also be available.
What to Do After a Crash in Texas
Call 911 and report the crash. Seek medical care right away, even if you feel uninjured. Photograph the vehicles, the scene, and road conditions, and collect contact and insurance details and witness names. Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer before talking to an attorney, and remember Texas's statute of limitations is generally two years from the date of injury under Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003.
Injured in Texas? Get a free, confidential case review today. There's no obligation, and you pay no fee unless you win. Call 973-566-5599.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nothing upfront. Our network attorneys work on contingency, so you pay no fee unless they recover compensation for you. The case review is always free.
Generally two years from the date of injury under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003. Claims against a government entity can have much shorter notice deadlines, so it is important to act quickly.
Texas uses modified comparative fault. As long as you are not more than 51% responsible, you can still recover, with your award reduced by your percentage of fault. Don't assume you have no case.
This page is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, consult a licensed Texas attorney.