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

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.