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What to Do After a Car Accident in Dallas: A Step-by-Step Checklist

By Dylan James, Texas attorney · June 2026 · Disponible en español

I've sat across the table from a lot of people after a crash on I-635 or Loop 12, and the hardest conversations are the ones where the case was damaged before they ever called a lawyer — not by the wreck, but by what happened in the days after it. The good news: protecting your claim mostly comes down to a handful of simple steps. Here they are, in order.

At the scene

1. Call 911 — even for a "minor" crash. In Texas, a crash involving injury or apparent damage of $1,000 or more must be reported. More practically: the police crash report (CR-3) is often the single most important document in your case. No report means a swearing match later.
2. Get medical attention, and accept transport if it's offered. Adrenaline masks injuries. Soft-tissue, back, and head injuries routinely show up 24–72 hours later — and a gap between the crash and your first treatment is the first thing an adjuster will use against you.
3. Photograph everything. All vehicles from multiple angles, license plates, the road, skid marks, traffic signals, debris, your visible injuries, and the other driver's insurance card and license. Your phone is your best witness.
4. Get witness names and numbers. Independent witnesses disappear within minutes and are nearly impossible to find later.
5. Say less. Exchange information, answer the officer's questions honestly — and don't apologize, speculate about fault, or announce that you "feel fine." Those words end up in the report.

In the first week

1. See a doctor and follow the treatment plan. Gaps in treatment and skipped appointments are the two most common ways insurers devalue legitimate claims.
2. Report the crash to your own insurer — that's usually required by your policy — but keep it to the basic facts.
3. Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance company. You are not required to. Their adjuster's job is to minimize what the company pays, and recorded statements exist to create inconsistencies.
4. Don't sign anything — especially medical authorizations or early settlement releases. A quick check that arrives before you've finished treatment is almost never the real value of your claim, and once you sign the release, the case is over forever.
5. Stay off social media about the crash, your injuries, and your activities. Defense lawyers read it all.

When to call a lawyer

Honestly: if there's any injury at all, before you talk to the other side's insurer. A consultation costs you nothing, and the difference between a represented and unrepresented claim is well documented. At my office, the person you talk to is me — in English or Spanish — and I'll tell you straight if you don't need a lawyer for your situation.

Related reading: How much is my Texas car accident case worth?