Getting in a car accident is stressful. Knowing exactly what to do — and what NOT to do — can mean the difference between a fair settlement and getting shortchanged by insurance. Here's your step-by-step guide.
Safety first. Check yourself and passengers. If anyone is injured, call 911 immediately. Even if injuries seem minor, get checked — adrenaline masks pain.
Under Texas law, if a crash is minor and the vehicles can be driven, move them out of traffic when it is safe to do so.
Get the other driver's: name, phone, insurance company and policy number, driver's license number, license plate. Take photos of their ID and insurance card.
Take photos of: all vehicle damage (every angle), the accident scene, skid marks, traffic signs, your injuries. The more evidence, the stronger your claim.
Under Texas law, report a crash that involves injury, death, or damage that keeps a vehicle from being driven safely. Ask for a copy of the police report — it is useful evidence for a claim.
Many injuries (whiplash, concussions, internal bleeding) don't show symptoms for days. A medical record from right after the accident is critical evidence for your claim.
You may be able to get a rental car while yours is being repaired if the other driver was at fault. Car Crash Value partners with rental providers to get you in a matching vehicle fast.
Report the accident to your insurance company, but keep it factual. Don't give recorded statements to the OTHER driver's insurance without consulting an expert first.
Before talking to an insurance adjuster, use the free accident calculator to estimate an injury settlement and the car's diminished value.
Even after a solid repair, your car can be worth less because it now has an accident on its history. Under Texas law, you may be able to claim this diminished value from the at-fault driver's insurance.
If an injury needed medical treatment, talk with a licensed attorney before you settle. Many Texas attorneys work on contingency — you pay nothing unless they recover money for you.
After a car accident in Texas, there can be two separate claims:
Car Crash Value helps you with both — plus a free rental car while your vehicle is being repaired. One stop shop.
Free calculator for both your injury claim and your car's diminished value.
Car accident settlement calculator Diminished value calculatorDeadlines apply. Car accident claims in Texas have deadlines, and they are not the same for every type of claim. Talk to a licensed attorney about the deadlines that apply to you. Evidence gets harder to gather over time, and witnesses forget details.