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The Texas Personal Injury Deadline: How the 2-Year Statute of Limitations Works

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 17:57:16 GMT

Miss the deadline, lose the claim — and some deadlines are much shorter than two years.

Texas law gives most injury victims two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003). Miss it, and even a rock-solid case is worth nothing. But the two-year rule is only the headline — the exceptions are where people get hurt.

Deadlines that are shorter than you think

Claims against Texas governmental units (city bus, police vehicle, road defect): formal notice can be required within six months — and some city charters, including Houston's, require notice in as little as 90 days.
Cruise ship injuries: many tickets contractually shorten the deadline to one year, with written notice required even sooner.
Wrongful death: generally two years from the date of death, which may differ from the date of injury.

Rules that can extend the deadline

Minors: the clock generally doesn't start until a child turns 18.
The discovery rule: for some injuries that couldn't reasonably be known right away, the clock may start when the injury was or should have been discovered.
Defendant leaves Texas: time out of state may not count.

Why waiting is expensive even before the deadline

Statutes of limitation are the legal cliff — but evidence erodes much faster. Surveillance footage is overwritten in days or weeks, vehicles are repaired or scrapped, and witnesses forget. The strongest cases are the ones investigated early.

Not sure which deadline applies to you? Ask us — it's free, and it might be the most important 15 minutes of your case. (713) 609-1898.

How Much Is My Houston Car Accident Case Worth?

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 17:55:20 GMT

A former insurance defense lawyer explains how settlement values are really calculated.

It's the first question everyone asks — and the honest answer is: it depends on facts no online calculator can capture. But after years of valuing claims for insurance companies, we can tell you exactly what goes into the number, and what the other side will try to subtract from it.

What adds up

Economic damages: every medical bill (past and future), lost paychecks, reduced earning capacity, and out-of-pocket costs like mileage to appointments.
Non-economic damages: physical pain, mental anguish, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. In serious-injury cases these often exceed the medical bills.
In rare cases, exemplary (punitive) damages — for example, some drunk-driving crashes.

What the insurance company subtracts

Comparative fault: every percentage point of blame they can pin on you cuts your recovery by the same amount — and at 51%, it eliminates it. This is why adjusters push you to admit fault early.
"Gaps and pre-existing conditions": delayed treatment and old injuries are used to argue the crash didn't cause your damages.
Policy limits: recovery is practically capped by available coverage — which is why we search for every applicable policy, including umbrella coverage and your own UM/UIM.

Why lawyered-up claims settle higher

Insurance companies grade claims partly on whether your lawyer actually tries cases. When a firm prepares every file for trial — preserving black-box data, hiring reconstructionists, documenting future medical needs — the settlement math changes. That preparation is exactly how we practice.

Want a real number instead of a guess? A free case evaluation takes about 20 minutes: (713) 609-1898.

What to Do After a Car Accident in Houston: A Step-by-Step Guide

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 17:50:41 GMT

Protect your health and your claim — from the 911 call to the adjuster's first offer.

The minutes and days after a car wreck are disorienting — and unfortunately, they are also when the most damage is done to injury claims. As former insurance defense lawyers, we've seen exactly how adjusters use early missteps against injured people. Here is the checklist we wish every Houston driver kept in their glovebox.

At the scene

Get to safety and call 911. Texas law requires reporting crashes involving injury, death, or significant vehicle damage. In Houston, the responding officer's CR-3 crash report will become a key piece of evidence.
Accept medical evaluation. Adrenaline hides pain. Concussions, whiplash, and internal injuries often surface hours or days later — and a same-day medical record ties them to the crash.
Photograph everything: all vehicles and plates, the intersection or freeway stretch, debris, skid marks, traffic signals, weather, and any visible injuries.
Exchange information with the other driver — and get contact details for witnesses before they drive away. Independent witnesses win disputed-liability cases.

In the first week

Order your crash report through the TxDOT Crash Report Online Purchase System (reports are usually available within about 10 days).
See your doctor and follow the treatment plan. Gaps in treatment are the #1 excuse adjusters use to cut settlement values.
Notify your own insurer — you likely have a contractual duty to report — but decline to give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement until you have legal advice.
Preserve evidence: keep damaged property, save dash-cam footage, and write down everything you remember while it's fresh.

What not to do

Don't post about the crash or your activities on social media — defense lawyers and adjusters look.
Don't accept a quick settlement before you know the full extent of your injuries. Signing a release ends your claim forever.
Don't assume you were at fault just because an adjuster says so. Texas lets you recover if you were 51% or less responsible.

The consultation is free, and the earlier we're involved, the more evidence we can preserve. Call (713) 609-1898 — we answer 24/7.