Texas car accident claims: deadlines, fault rules and insurance, explained
Home › Tools › Accident Checklist
Texas Tool
Everything worth capturing after a Texas crash, ordered by how quickly it stops being available.
The short answer
Photograph vehicle rest positions before anything is moved, take independent witness numbers at the scene, and request nearby CCTV in writing within days. Those three vanish fastest and matter most. Everything else can be assembled later.
In this guide
At the scene
Required immediately where there is injury, death, or a vehicle that cannot be driven normally and safely.
Photograph the vehicles where they stopped, before anything is moved. This is the only chance.
Every vehicle, wide and close, including the undamaged sides.
Skid marks, debris, traffic controls, sightlines, road surface, weather and light.
Name, address, registration and insurer for every driver.
You will need it to buy the CR-3 later.
Names and mobile numbers. They are gone within minutes of leaving.
Describe what you saw. Do not characterise it.
Tex. Transp. Code § 550.026.
Within 72 hours
Even without obvious injury. Delayed onset is normal; an unexplained gap is not.
Usually a policy condition, and separate from any liability claim.
Dashcam files copied off the device. Written CCTV requests to nearby businesses.
Symptoms, limitations, missed work, sleep.
Within two weeks
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| CR-3 crash report | $6 regular, $8 certified, from TxDOT. The officer has ten days to file it. |
| Medical records and bills | Collect as you go rather than at the end. |
| Repair estimate | Plus receipts for anything paid out of pocket. |
| Wage loss record | Missed shifts, reduced hours, and who can confirm them. |
| Preserve the vehicle | Before repair or salvage, if event data may matter. |
| Declarations page | Confirm whether you have PIP and UM/UIM. They apply unless rejected in writing. |
Tex. Transp. Code § 550.062(b), § 550.065(d); Tex. Ins. Code § 1952.101, § 1952.152.
What this is not
This checklist does not assess whether you have a claim, estimate its value, or determine eligibility for anything. Any evaluation of a legal claim in Texas is performed solely by a licensed attorney.
Keep the two fixed deadlines in view: the officer files the CR-3 within ten days, and a personal injury suit must generally be filed within two years. The evidence, however, degrades in days.
Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003.
Common questions
Vehicle rest positions, before anything is moved. It is the one piece of evidence that cannot be recreated and it frequently decides a disputed-fault claim.
Many small business systems overwrite within days. A written preservation request in the first few days is the difference between having the footage and not.
Not strictly, but it is the document adjusters work from and it contains the officer’s diagram and contributing-factor codes. It costs $6.
Photograph everything you still can, and prioritise the witness list and any video that still exists. Not having scene photographs makes independent evidence more important, not less.
Sources
Every Texas rule stated here is taken from the primary source named below. The Texas statutes are published free by the Texas Legislative Council.
Keep reading
The first hour, the first week, and what Texas law requires at the scene.
Which policy responds, and the deadlines your own insurer must meet.
Editorial information
Spotted something wrong or out of date? We correct errors and log the change. See our correction policy and about page.
Next steps
Read the Texas rules that apply, or see how a request for attorney review works. General information only, not legal advice.
Texas-specific information on crash deadlines, fault rules and insurance, with the statute cited on every page. Operated by National Claim Network. Not a law firm, insurer, or government agency.
This is attorney advertising. National Claim Network is a marketing and lead generation service that connects individuals with licensed attorneys. It is not a law firm, an insurance company, or a government agency, is not affiliated with or endorsed by the State of Texas, TxDOT, the Texas Department of Insurance or the State Bar of Texas, and it does not provide legal advice or legal representation. Nothing on this site creates an attorney-client relationship. Deadlines to file a legal claim vary by state and case type — in Texas the general personal-injury deadline is two years — do not delay in seeking legal advice.
No guarantee, warranty, or prediction of outcome is made. Past results do not guarantee similar results. If representation is offered on a contingency basis, clients may still be responsible for certain costs or expenses as required by the retaining law firm.
Dramatized scenes, symbols, figures, or testimonials are illustrative, not based on actual events, and may feature paid actors or spokespersons. Recoveries vary. “No fee” describes attorney fees; costs may apply. Phrases such as “best” are slogans, not rankings or awards.
Paid independent attorney advertising. National Claim Network connects users with licensed, independently practicing attorneys and law firms who may pay a fee to receive inquiries submitted through this site.
Privacy PolicyTerms of UseLegal DisclaimerCookies PolicyDisclosures
© 2026 National Claim Network. All rights reserved.