Every year, Bexar County records tens of thousands of car accidents. Most involve a moment of someone else’s carelessness and years of consequences for the person they hit.
Medical bills arrive before the insurance company decides whether to accept the claim. Paychecks stop while you’re in recovery. And the at-fault driver’s insurer, whose job is to pay out as little as possible, starts working immediately.
George Salinas Injury Lawyers has recovered millions of dollars for car accident victims in San Antonio. Our San Antonio car accident lawyers take on insurance companies on your behalf so you can focus on healing. Call (210) 225-0909 for a free consultation.
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Resources On This Page
- How Does a Car Accident Claim Work in Texas?
- What Are the Most Dangerous Roads for Car Accidents in San Antonio?
- Why Do Car Accident Insurance Claims Get Disputed?
- What Damages Can You Recover After a Car Accident in Bexar County?
- What Should You Do Right After a Car Accident in San Antonio?
- How Long Do You Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Texas?
- Ask George Salinas Injury Lawyers
- George Salinas Injury Lawyers Fights for San Antonio Car Accident Victims
- Frequently Asked Questions About San Antonio Car Accident Claims
- Start With a Free Consultation
How Does a Car Accident Claim Work in Texas?
Texas is an at-fault state. The driver who caused the crash is responsible for the damages, and their liability insurance is the primary source of compensation. Unlike some states, Texas does not require Personal Injury Protection, known as PIP, on auto policies by default. PIP is optional here, which means many accident victims have no automatic cushion for medical bills while their claim is being evaluated.
Filing a Liability Claim Against the At-Fault Driver
When another driver caused your accident, the claim goes to their liability insurance. The adjuster representing the at-fault driver is not on your side. Their job is to evaluate the claim, find reasons to dispute it, and settle for as little as possible. An attorney negotiates with that adjuster using documented evidence, medical records, and a clear legal theory of liability.
When the At-Fault Driver Has No Insurance or Not Enough
Texas has one of the higher rates of uninsured drivers in the country. If the driver who hit you carries no insurance, or their policy limits don’t cover your actual damages, your own uninsured motorist coverage, known as UM, or underinsured motorist coverage, known as UIM, may step in. An attorney reviews your own policy alongside the at-fault driver’s to identify every available source of recovery.
What If Multiple Drivers Contributed to the Crash?
Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §33.001, fault can be allocated among multiple parties. If you were also partially at fault, your recovery is reduced proportionally, but you can still recover as long as your share does not exceed 50%. Insurance adjusters routinely try to assign fault to injury victims. An attorney challenges those assignments with evidence.
What Are the Most Dangerous Roads for Car Accidents in San Antonio? 
According to TxDOT crash data, Bexar County consistently records some of the highest crash volumes in Texas. Certain corridors stand out.
I-35 through downtown sees high-volume commercial and passenger traffic at all hours. The I-35/I-10 interchange is among the most congested in the state. Loop 1604 in the fast-growing northwest and northeast quadrants sees regular high-speed collisions driven by suburban development outpacing infrastructure. US-281 North near the Medical Center and Stone Oak is a persistent accident corridor. Loop 410 around the south and east sides, where heavy truck traffic mixes with commuter lanes, produces frequent serious crashes.
If your accident happened on any of these roads or others in Bexar County, our attorneys know those environments and can use that local knowledge in your case.
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Why Do Car Accident Insurance Claims Get Disputed?
Not every insurance claim proceeds smoothly toward a settlement. Adjusters often utilize specific strategies to challenge the validity of your claim, hoping you will accept a lower offer or abandon your pursuit of fair compensation. Below are the most frequent reasons insurance companies dispute car accident claims and how an experienced attorney can help you counter these arguments.
The Adjuster Disputes Who Was at Fault
Even when you know you did nothing wrong, the at-fault driver’s insurer may argue you share responsibility. They may point to your speed, your lane position, or your failure to anticipate the other driver’s move. An attorney responds with independent accident reconstruction, traffic camera footage, witness statements, and the police report.
The Insurer Argues Your Injuries Were Pre-Existing
Insurance companies routinely request medical records going back years, looking for prior injuries or pre-existing conditions they can argue explain your current complaints. An attorney works with your treating physicians and, when necessary, independent medical experts to establish the causal connection between the crash and your current condition.
The Insurance Company Says the Vehicle Damage Was Too Minor to Cause Your Injuries
Low-impact collisions can still cause significant soft tissue injuries, concussions, and spinal injuries. Insurance companies use so-called biomechanical experts to argue that limited vehicle damage means limited injury. An attorney counters this with medical evidence specific to your injuries and challenges the methodology these experts use.
What Damages Can You Recover After a Car Accident in Bexar County? 
A complete San Antonio car accident claim includes all actual economic losses and non-economic damages. Economic damages include every medical bill from emergency care through ongoing treatment, lost wages for time you couldn’t work, reduced future earning capacity if your injuries are permanent, and the cost of replacing or repairing your vehicle.
Non-economic damages address the human dimension of the injury: physical pain and mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of activities you can no longer do, and in severe cases, disfigurement and physical impairment. These damages are not capped in most Texas personal injury cases.
What Should You Do Right After a Car Accident in San Antonio?
The actions you take immediately after a crash in San Antonio directly affect your ability to recover compensation. Here are the steps that matter most.
- Stay at the scene and call the police. A police report is foundational evidence. In Texas, you are required to report accidents involving injury, death, or property damage over $1,000. The report documents both parties’ information and the officer’s initial observations.
- Get medical attention the same day. Even if you feel okay, some injuries worsen or appear hours or days later. Same-day documentation establishes the connection between the crash and your injuries.
- Photograph everything. The vehicle positions, damage to both cars, road conditions, traffic signals, skid marks, and your visible injuries. This visual record is often the clearest account of what happened before scenes change.
- Do not accept any offer at the scene. The other driver or their insurer may offer cash or ask you to handle things informally. Do not agree. Once you accept, you have limited options.
Call (210) 225-0909 before speaking to any adjuster.
How Long Do You Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Texas?
Two years from the date of the crash under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §16.003. Don’t wait for the insurance company to decide your claim before consulting an attorney. Adjusters can take months to evaluate claims, and that time runs against your legal deadline.
Ask George Salinas Injury Lawyers
Q: The other driver’s insurance company already accepted fault. Do I still need a lawyer?
A: Accepting fault for the accident is different from agreeing to pay fair compensation. An insurer can admit liability and still dispute the value of your claim, challenge your medical treatment as excessive, or argue pre-existing conditions explain your injuries. An attorney makes sure the damages calculation reflects your real losses, not the adjuster’s preferred figure.
Q: My car accident happened on a road that had a dangerous defect. Can I sue the city?
A: Possibly. Texas allows tort claims against government entities under the Texas Tort Claims Act, but those claims have strict notice requirements and damage caps that don’t apply to private defendants. Notice must generally be given within six months of the incident. An attorney evaluates whether a road defect played a role and ensures the notice deadline is met.
Q: The other driver was working at the time of the crash. Does that change anything?
A: Yes. If the at-fault driver was acting within the scope of employment at the time of the crash, their employer may be liable under the doctrine of respondeat superior. This opens the employer’s commercial auto policy as an additional source of recovery. Delivery drivers, sales representatives, and any employee using a company vehicle are common examples.
Q: My injury didn’t show up right away. I saw a doctor three days after the crash. Will that hurt my case?
A: Delayed symptoms are common, particularly with soft tissue injuries, whiplash, and concussions. Three days is not ideal, but it does not necessarily hurt your claim. An attorney establishes the causal connection through your medical records and the physician’s professional assessment. What would hurt the claim more is not seeing a doctor at all.
Meet Our Top-Rated San Antonio Car Accident Attorneys
George Salinas Injury Lawyers Fights for San Antonio Car Accident Victims
Our San Antonio car accident lawyers have recovered a $2.5 million settlement in a passenger vehicle collision, $1.8 million in a commercial delivery vehicle crash, and hundreds of additional settlements across all types of auto accidents.
We handle every aspect of your case from investigation through resolution. You focus on recovery. We handle the insurance company.
$100M+ recovered. 110+ years of combined experience. No fee until we win.
Call (210) 225-0909. Available 24/7.
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Frequently Asked Questions About San Antonio Car Accident Claims
Will my own insurance rate go up if I file a claim against the at-fault driver?
Filing a third-party claim against the other driver’s insurance generally does not affect your own rate because you are not filing against your own policy. If you do file a claim under your own UM/UIM coverage because the other driver was uninsured, your rate impact depends on your insurer and the circumstances.
Can I handle a minor car accident claim without a lawyer?
For genuinely minor accidents with no significant injuries and clear liability, some people negotiate directly with insurers. But if your injuries required medical treatment, caused missed work, or are not fully resolved, self-representation often leads to undervalued settlements. The consultation with our firm costs nothing, so there is no risk in finding out what your case is worth.
What is MedPay and does it help after a San Antonio car accident?
Medical Payments coverage, known as MedPay, is optional coverage that pays medical bills for you and your passengers regardless of fault, up to your policy limit. Unlike PIP in other states, MedPay is not required in Texas. If you have MedPay on your policy, it can provide immediate help with medical bills while the at-fault claim is being resolved.
How long does it take to settle a car accident case in San Antonio?
Straightforward cases with clear liability and resolved injuries can settle in three to six months. Cases with disputed liability, ongoing treatment, or severe injuries typically take longer. Cases that proceed to litigation in Bexar County can take one to two years or more. An attorney provides a realistic timeline after reviewing your specific situation.
Start With a Free Consultation
Getting hurt in a car accident in San Antonio is not something anyone plans for. Knowing what to do next shouldn’t require a law degree.
Call George Salinas Injury Lawyers, tell us what happened, and we’ll tell you exactly where you stand.
Free consultation. No fee until we win. Available 24/7.
Call (210) 225-0909. | George Salinas Injury Lawyers | 6243 I-10 Ste. 955, San Antonio, TX 78201