What happened to you?
Step-by-step help after a car crash, truck accident, fall, dog bite or other injury in San Antonio. Pick what happened, answer a few questions, and get a plan for what people commonly do next. No name or phone number needed.
Guides by situation
- Car accidentRear ended, intersection, hit and run
- 18 wheeler or truckSemi, big rig, delivery truck
- Work van, rideshare or city vehicleCompany vehicle, Uber or Lyft, city vehicle, bus
- MotorcycleRiders hit by a car or truck
- Pedestrian or bicycleHit while walking, biking or on a scooter
- Slip and fallStore, apartment, dangerous property
- Head injury or concussionHit your head, concussion, brain injury
- Neck or back injuryWhiplash, back pain, herniated disc
- Losing a family memberA death caused by someone else
- Something elseDog bite and other injuries
Free checklists (PDF)
- Car accident checklist (PDF)
- 18 wheeler or truck accident checklist (PDF)
- Work van, rideshare or city vehicle checklist (PDF)
- Motorcycle accident checklist (PDF)
- Pedestrian or bicycle accident checklist (PDF)
- Slip and fall checklist (PDF)
- Head injury or concussion checklist (PDF)
- Neck or back injury checklist (PDF)
- Losing a family member checklist (PDF)
- Dog or other animal bite checklist (PDF)
- Hurt by a product checklist (PDF)
- Hurt at work checklist (PDF)
- Other injury checklist (PDF)
Questions people ask after an injury in San Antonio
Crashes and insurance
How do I get my crash report in San Antonio?
In Texas, the officer’s crash report is called a CR-3. Officers file it electronically with TxDOT within 10 days. People involved can buy it through TxDOT’s Crash Report Online Purchase System for $6, or $8 for a certified copy. TxDOT says it can take up to 14 days to appear in search results.
Do I have to call the police after a crash in Texas?
Texas law requires drivers to report a crash right away to the local police or sheriff when someone is hurt or killed, or when a vehicle can’t be driven normally and safely. Drivers must also stop, exchange information and help anyone who is hurt.
What happens when an insurance company calls after a crash?
The other driver’s insurance company may call soon after a crash to ask what happened. People commonly keep the call short, share basic facts, and avoid guessing about fault or saying they are fine before they have seen a doctor.
Should I give a recorded statement to an insurance company?
People are generally not required to give the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement. Many ask for questions in writing, or wait until they understand their injuries.
Should I sign a medical authorization from the other driver’s insurance company?
People are generally not required to sign the other driver’s insurer’s medical authorization. A broad authorization can give the insurer access to years of unrelated records, so many people ask which records are needed and why before signing anything.
What if the other driver has no insurance?
Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage on your own auto policy may pay for your injuries when the driver at fault has no insurance or not enough. Texas auto policies include UM coverage unless it was turned down in writing. A hit and run is often handled under the same coverage when the other vehicle made contact with you or your vehicle.
What is PIP, and does it pay my medical bills?
Personal injury protection (PIP) pays medical bills and part of lost wages after a crash, no matter who caused it. Texas auto policies include at least $2,500 of PIP per person unless it was turned down in writing. It can cover you, people in your household and passengers in your car.
Who pays for my car repairs and a rental car?
The insurance of the driver at fault usually pays for repairs and a rental once it accepts fault. Your own collision coverage, if you have it, may pay sooner, minus your deductible, and your insurer can then seek repayment from the other side.
How long do I have to file an injury claim in Texas?
In most injury cases, Texas law allows two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. Claims against a government body have much shorter notice deadlines, as short as 90 days for the City of San Antonio. Some situations change the deadline, so it’s worth checking early.
What if I was partly at fault?
Texas uses proportionate responsibility. A person who is partly at fault can still recover, but the amount is reduced by their share of fault. A person found more than 50 percent responsible can’t recover from the others.
How do people request police body camera video in Texas?
Texas law requires a written request for police body camera video to include the date and approximate time, the specific location, and the name of at least one person who is a subject of the recording. The request goes to the police agency that responded, not to TxDOT. In San Antonio, requests go through the SAPD open records portal. Agencies may withhold or redact some footage.
What evidence and documents do people keep after a crash?
Photos of the scene, vehicles and injuries; witness names and phone numbers; medical bills, discharge papers and prescriptions; missed work records and repair estimates. Nearby businesses may have cameras facing the road, and footage is often recorded over.
Is there help for victims of a drunk driver or a hit and run?
The Texas Crime Victims’ Compensation Program can help victims of DWI and hit and run crashes with medical bills, counseling, lost wages and funeral costs, up to $50,000. The crime must be reported to police, and applications are due within three years. Call 800-983-9933.
When do people talk to a lawyer after an injury?
People commonly talk with a lawyer when injuries last, fault is disputed, an insurance company is pressing for a statement or a quick settlement, or a government body, trucking company or rideshare company is involved. San Antonio Personal Injury Lawyers® offers a free consultation.
Trucks, rideshare and government vehicles
How do I find a trucking company’s information?
Commercial trucks usually show the company name and a USDOT number on the door. That number can be looked up in the FMCSA Company Snapshot, which lists the company’s address and safety record.
What insurance covers an Uber or Lyft crash?
Texas requires insurance for rideshare drivers. From the moment a driver accepts a ride until the passenger gets out, at least $1 million in coverage may apply. With the app on and no ride yet, lower limits may apply. With the app off, the driver’s own policy usually applies. The exact coverage can depend on the rideshare company’s policy, and a screenshot of the trip helps show which period applies.
How do I file a claim against the City of San Antonio?
The City of San Antonio’s charter requires written notice of a claim within 90 days. Claims go to the City’s Office of Risk Management (210-207-7204), which has an online Notice of Claim form. The notice should say when, where and how it happened, and describe the injuries and damages. Claims involving VIA, CPS Energy or SAWS go to those agencies instead.
What if a VIA bus hit me, or I was hurt on a bus?
VIA handles its own claims, not the City. Write down the bus number, route, time and driver’s name, and contact VIA as soon as you can. Claims against government bodies have short notice deadlines.
Is there a deadline for a claim against the city or a government vehicle?
Texas law generally requires written notice of a claim against a government body within six months of the incident, and a city charter can set a shorter deadline. The City of San Antonio requires notice within 90 days. The notice usually describes the injury, the time and place, and what happened.
Slip and fall
Should I fill out the store’s incident report?
Many people do report the fall, but keep it to the facts: where, when and what caused it. Ask for a copy or the report number. Avoid guessing about fault or saying you are fine before seeing a doctor.
Does a store or property owner have to pay if I fall?
Not always. In Texas, a property owner is generally responsible when it knew or should have known about a dangerous condition and didn’t fix it or warn people. The rules can be stricter for falls at a private home. Photos, witnesses and video can help show how long the hazard was there.
How do I get security video of my fall?
Ask the business in writing, as soon as you can, to keep video of the fall. Many systems record over footage within days or weeks. Note the date, time and exact spot.
Head, neck and back injuries
What concussion symptoms should people watch for?
The CDC says some concussion symptoms appear right away and others not for hours or days. A headache that gets worse, repeated vomiting, slurred speech, or trouble waking up are danger signs that call for 911 or an emergency room right away.
What is a concussion?
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head, or a hit to the body that makes the head move quickly. People don’t have to pass out to have one. Many people feel better within a few weeks, but some have symptoms longer.
When can I go back to work or drive after a concussion?
Follow your doctor’s advice. Doctors often recommend easing back into work and other activities as symptoms improve, and not driving while symptoms like dizziness or trouble concentrating continue.
When do people get checked by a doctor after a crash?
Some injuries, including concussions and neck or back injuries, may not show up right away. People commonly get checked at urgent care, the ER, or by their own doctor after a crash, and tell each provider the symptoms began after the crash. Call 911 or go to the ER for severe or worsening symptoms.
Why does my neck or back hurt more days after a crash?
Soreness from soft tissue injuries like whiplash often peaks a day or two later. Pain that keeps getting worse, or numbness, tingling or weakness, needs a doctor right away.
Do I need to keep going to physical therapy?
Following the treatment plan helps recovery and creates a clear record. Gaps in treatment can lead an insurer to argue the injury healed or wasn’t serious. If treatment isn’t helping, people tell the doctor rather than just stopping.
Dog bites, products and work injuries
How do I report a dog bite in San Antonio?
San Antonio Animal Care Services asks people to call 311 or 210-207-6000 right away to report a bite, and to give the animal’s color and breed and the owner’s name and contact information. Texas law requires anyone who knows of a bite from an animal that could carry rabies to report it. A dog, cat or ferret that bites is quarantined for 10 days.
What if I don’t know who owns the dog?
Report the bite to 311 right away with a description of the dog and where it happened, so Animal Care Services can try to find it. If the dog can’t be found and watched for 10 days, a doctor may recommend rabies shots.
What should I do if a product hurt me?
Keep the product, packaging and receipt, and don’t repair or return it. Check for recalls at SaferProducts.gov or, for vehicles, tires and car seats, at NHTSA.gov. The injury can also be reported to the Consumer Product Safety Commission at SaferProducts.gov.
How do I report a work injury in Texas?
Tell your employer within 30 days of the injury, or of when you learned it was related to your job. To protect your rights, file DWC Form-041 with the Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation within one year. DWC customer service: 800-252-7031.
What if my employer doesn’t have workers’ comp?
Texas employers aren’t required to carry workers’ compensation. When an employer doesn’t, an injured worker may be able to bring an injury claim against the employer instead. The Office of Injured Employee Counsel and DWC can explain the options.
Losing a family member
Who can file a wrongful death claim in Texas?
A surviving spouse, children and parents can bring a wrongful death claim. The estate may also have a separate claim. Generally the claim must be filed within two years of the death.
How do I get a death certificate?
Funeral homes usually order the first certified copies. More can be ordered from the Texas Department of State Health Services, or locally from the San Antonio City Clerk or the Bexar County Clerk, depending on where and when the death happened.
Helpful government and nonprofit resources
- TxDOT crash report purchase Buy the CR-3 crash report: $6, or $8 certified
- SAPD open records Police reports and body or dash camera video
- Texas Department of Insurance help line Problems with your own insurance company: 800-252-3439
- Texas Crime Victims’ Compensation Help for DWI and hit and run victims: 800-983-9933
- MADD Victim Services Free support after a drunk driving crash
- FMCSA Company Snapshot Look up a trucking company by its USDOT number
- City of San Antonio Notice of Claim Written notice within 90 days. Risk Management: 210-207-7204
- VIA Metropolitan Transit For crashes involving a VIA bus
- TDI: Ride sharing insurance What rideshare insurance covers
- CDC: Concussion signs and symptoms Symptoms and danger signs to watch for
- Texas HHS Office of Acquired Brain Injury Brain injury resources in Texas
- Brain Injury Association of America: Texas Support for people with brain injuries and families
- Texas DSHS death records Order certified death certificates
- Bexar County birth and death certificates Local copies through the County or City Clerk
- San Antonio Animal Care Services: bites Report a bite: 311 or 210-207-6000
- SaferProducts.gov Check recalls and report a product injury
- NHTSA recalls Recalls for vehicles, tires and car seats
- Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation Injured employee questions: 800-252-7031
- Office of Injured Employee Counsel Free help for injured workers
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 any time
- State Bar of Texas Lawyer Referral Help finding a lawyer: (800) 252-9690
These links go to government and nonprofit websites. San Antonio Personal Injury Lawyers® is not affiliated with them.
Reviewed by Steven A. Nuñez, attorney, San Antonio Personal Injury Lawyers®. General information, not legal or medical advice. To talk with our team about your situation, call (210) 999-5033. Free consultation.
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Submitting this form does not create an attorney client relationship. Attorney responsible for content: Steven A. Nuñez, San Antonio Personal Injury Lawyers®, 8620 N New Braunfels Ave, Suite N-604, San Antonio, TX 78217. General information, not legal or medical advice.