Car, motorcycle and pedestrian
Dallas car accident lawyer.
After a crash, the other driver's insurance company starts building its file the same day. You should too. Texas gives you two years to file a lawsuit, but the camera footage, the 911 audio and the witnesses start disappearing in days. We collect that evidence first, deal with the adjusters for you, and put a number on your claim that holds up.
Right now
If the crash just happened.
- 01
Get medical care today
Go to the ER, urgent care or your doctor, even if you feel fine. Neck, back and head injuries often show up a day or two later, and a gap in treatment is the first thing an adjuster points to.
- 02
Call the police and get the report number
Officers have to report crashes with an injury or $1,000 or more in damage. Write down the officer's name and the case number. The crash report (CR-3) is what everyone will read first.
- 03
Photograph everything
Both cars, the plates, the road, skid marks, traffic lights, your injuries and the other driver's insurance card. Get names and numbers of anyone who stopped.
- 04
Do not give a recorded statement
The other driver's adjuster will call quickly and sound friendly. You do not have to talk to them. Anything you say about how you feel or what happened can be used to cut your claim.
- 05
Call us before you sign anything
A quick check or a medical release can end your claim or open your whole medical history. The first consultation is free, in English or Spanish.
Key deadlines and numbers
- Deadline to sue
- 2 years from the crashSource: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003
- If a city bus, city truck or county vehicle hit you
- Written notice often within 6 months, sometimes soonerSource: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 101.101
- Minimum insurance in Texas
- $30,000 per person, $60,000 per crash, $25,000 propertySource: Tex. Transp. Code 601.072
- If you are partly at fault
- You can recover if you are 50% or less at fault, reduced by your shareSource: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 33.001
- Crash report (CR-3)
- Available from TxDOT, usually within about 10 daysSource: TxDOT crash reports
Texas law
How Texas law treats a car accident claim.
Texas is an at-fault state. The driver who caused the crash, and that driver's insurance, pays for the harm. The work is proving who was careless and proving everything the crash cost you.
| Type of loss | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Medical expenses | ER, doctors, therapy, surgery and future care. Texas limits this to amounts actually paid or owed. |
| Lost income | Work you missed and earning capacity you lost. |
| Pain and mental anguish | Past and future. Texas has no general cap on these in a car case. |
| Physical impairment and disfigurement | What you can no longer do, and scars or changes you live with. |
| Property damage | Repair or value of your car, a rental, and items inside. |
Your own policy may pay first
Every Texas auto policy includes personal injury protection (PIP, at least $2,500) and uninsured motorist coverage unless you turned them down in writing. PIP pays regardless of fault.
Source: Tex. Ins. Code 1952Fault gets divided
The insurance company will try to put part of the blame on you, because every percent lowers what it pays and more than 50% ends the claim. Evidence collected early is how you push back.
Source: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 33.012Minimum coverage is often not enough
Many drivers carry only $30,000 per person. When the injuries are serious, we look for every other policy that applies: your underinsured coverage, an employer if the driver was working, or a bar that over-served a drunk driver.
How we work
How we build your claim.
Mr. Estrada reads your file and sets the strategy. Our team works the details with him, and you get updates in English or Spanish.
01
Lock down the evidence
Preservation letters for camera footage from businesses and intersections, the 911 audio, the CR-3 report, photos and witness statements, before they are lost.
02
Find every policy
The other driver's liability policy, your PIP and uninsured or underinsured coverage, and any employer or business that shares responsibility.
03
Document your injuries
We help you get treatment, keep your records and bills in order, and make sure what you feel day to day is on paper.
04
Handle the insurance companies
All calls go through us. We send a demand backed by the evidence and negotiate from there.
05
File suit when the offer is not fair
Most claims settle. When an insurer will not pay what a case is worth, we file and prepare it for trial.
Who handles it
The lawyer on the sign is the lawyer on your case.
Mr. Estrada has practiced in Texas since 2003, in state court and in the Northern, Eastern and Western federal districts of Texas. He reads the file and sets the strategy, with associates and staff who work the case alongside him. Everything is explained to you in English or Spanish.
What clients say
“He made sure he addressed all of our questions and put us at ease. He never made it seem like we were an inconvenience.”Questions people ask us about money and paperwork.
- Who pays my medical bills right now?
- Usually your PIP, your health insurance, or a doctor who agrees to wait for the case to resolve. We help you line this up so treatment does not stop.
- What about my car?
- The property damage claim usually moves faster than the injury claim. We can help with the repair estimate, a total loss value and a rental.
- Do I need papers or a license to make a claim?
- If someone else caused the crash, you can make a claim. Talk to us privately about your situation. What you tell us stays between you and the firm.
Dallas and Odessa
Crashes we see in Dallas and West Texas.
From our Oak Cliff office on Jefferson Boulevard we handle crashes on I-35E, I-30, Loop 12, US-67 and the streets of Oak Cliff and southern Dallas. Our Odessa office handles crashes on I-20, SH-191 and the oilfield roads of Ector and Midland counties, where heavy trucks share the road with families every day.
FAQ
Questions people ask.
How much is my car accident case worth?
It depends on your medical care, lost income, how the injury affects your life, the available insurance and how clear the fault is. No honest lawyer can give you a number on the first call. We can tell you what drives the value and what to do now to protect it.
How long do I have to file in Texas?
Generally two years from the date of the crash. Claims against a city, county or other government vehicle can require written notice within months. Do not wait on either one.
Should I talk to the other driver's insurance company?
You can give basic facts like your name and the date, but you do not have to give a recorded statement or sign a medical release. Once you hire us, they talk to us.
What if the police report says I was at fault?
The report matters, but it is the officer's opinion, often written before anyone saw the video or talked to every witness. It can be challenged with evidence, and in Texas you can still recover if you are 50% or less at fault.
What if the other driver had no insurance?
Your own uninsured motorist coverage can pay, and you have it unless you rejected it in writing. We handle that claim against your own company, which can be just as hard as the other side.
How much does it cost to hire you?
The first consultation is free. Injury cases are handled on a contingency fee, which means the fee comes out of the recovery, not out of your pocket. We explain the exact terms, including case costs, before you sign.
Related situations
- Rear end collisions
- 18 wheeler and truck accidents
- Drunk driver crashes
- Hit and run and uninsured drivers
- Wrongful death
- All: Personal Injury
Updated October 2026
This page is general information about Texas law, not legal advice for your situation. Reading it does not create an attorney client relationship. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a future outcome.
Two offices
Oak Cliff and Odessa.
Mon to Fri 9 to 5, Sat 9 to 12. Emergencies 24/7 by phone.
Law Office of Olegario Estrada, P.C.
We explain everything.We answer 24/7.Se habla español.
Free consultation by phone, video, or in person. Offices in Dallas and Odessa.