Car Accident Lawyer in Austin, TX

Car accidents happen every day on Austin roads — on MoPac, I-35, and every intersection between them — and when one is caused by another driver’s negligence, Texas law gives you a path to recovery: medical expenses, lost income, and compensation for pain and suffering. As a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer with 15 years of litigation experience across 12 Texas counties, I build every car accident case as if it’s going to trial, because that’s the only leverage that actually moves an insurance company off their first number. If your crash just happened, start with what to do in the first 24 hours after a car accident in Austin.

Common Causes of Austin Car Accidents

• Distracted driving (texting, phone use)
• Speeding, especially on highways like I-35 and US-183
• Failure to yield at intersections
• Red-light and T-bone crashes at intersections
• Rear-end collisions in heavy traffic
• Driving under the influence
• Rideshare (Uber and Lyft) and delivery driver incidents, common in a city with Austin’s traffic density
• Pedestrians hit by cars in crosswalks, on sidewalks, or in parking lots

I also handle a significant number of crashes on the Northwest Austin corridors — RR 620, RM 2222, and Loop 360 — serving Lakeway, Westlake, Four Points, Far West, and Great Hills. If the wreck was near the office, see River Place car accident lawyer. On the 620 corridor, see Lakeway car accident lawyer, Bee Cave car accident lawyer, and Steiner Ranch car accident lawyer. Related practice pages: motorcycle accident lawyer Austin and truck accident lawyer Austin. If a CapMetro or other bus was involved, see my Austin bus accident lawyer page. If the crash was caused by a drunk driver who was served at a bar or restaurant, see my Austin dram shop lawyer page. If the crash caused a head injury or concussion, see my Austin traumatic brain injury lawyer page. If it caused a spinal cord injury or paralysis, see my Austin spinal cord injury lawyer page. If an Amazon delivery van or Flex driver was involved, see my Amazon delivery accident lawyer page. If the crash involved a fire or explosion, see my Austin burn injury lawyer page. If it involved an ATV or off-road vehicle, see my Austin ATV accident lawyer page. If a loved one was hurt or killed in a plane or helicopter crash, see my aviation accident page.

What You Can Recover After a Texas Car Accident

Texas law allows recovery for economic damages (medical bills, lost wages, future medical care, property damage) and non-economic damages (pain and suffering, physical impairment, disfigurement). One thing many people don’t realize: your recoverable medical expenses are generally limited to the amount actually paid or incurred, not the full billed amount — a rule from the Texas Supreme Court’s decision in Haygood v. De Escabedo, 356 S.W.3d 390 (Tex. 2011). Getting this calculation right, rather than working off inflated billed amounts or lowballed insurance figures, is part of what determines a fair settlement number.

What If I Was Partly at Fault?

Texas follows a modified comparative negligence rule: your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault, and you can still recover as long as you’re not found more than 50% responsible. Insurance adjusters routinely try to shift more fault onto the injured party than the facts support — this is one of the most common tactics used to reduce a payout, and it’s exactly the kind of argument that’s harder to make against someone who’s tried these cases in front of a jury. Full guide: partly at fault car accident Texas.

Why Trial Experience Matters, Even If Your Case Settles

Most car accident cases settle before trial — but the ones that settle well are the ones where the insurance company believes the attorney is actually prepared to try the case if the number isn’t fair. I’ve tried cases in 12 Texas counties, on both the plaintiff and defense side, which means I know exactly how insurance defense counsel evaluates a file and where they look for weaknesses. That’s not something a firm that only settles cases can replicate.

Car Accident Claim FAQ

How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Texas?

Generally two years from the date of the accident under the Texas statute of limitations, though certain circumstances can shorten or extend that window. See Texas personal injury statute of limitations. Don’t wait to find out which applies to you.

Should I give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company?

You’re generally not required to, and it’s rarely in your interest to do so before speaking with an attorney. Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions designed to minimize your claim. If the carrier has already said no, see can insurance deny my claim in Texas.

Can I still make a claim if police never came or never wrote a report?

Yes. A police report is helpful evidence, but it isn’t what makes a claim. Without one, the other evidence carries more weight, so start building it now. Take photos and video of the vehicles, the scene, any traffic signals or signs, and your injuries, and ask nearby businesses about camera footage quickly, because many systems record over it. Get names and phone numbers from witnesses, and the other driver’s insurance information. Get checked by a doctor promptly and follow through; your records can tie your injuries to the crash, and gaps in treatment are something insurers may use against you. Write down what happened, where, and when while it’s fresh. Notify your own insurer promptly, and be careful with the other driver’s insurer; see the recorded-statement question above before you give one.

What if the other driver didn’t have insurance?

This is where your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage comes in — a separate, often more complicated claim against your own insurer. It requires proving the other driver’s fault and lack of adequate coverage before your carrier’s payment obligation is triggered. Plain comparison of first-party coverages: Texas PIP vs MedPay vs UM/UIM.

How much is my case worth?

It depends on your injuries, medical treatment, lost income, and the degree of fault involved. A real evaluation requires looking at your specific facts, not a generic formula. See also prioritizing your health after a personal injury.

Who is at fault in a failure-to-yield crash in Austin?

Usually the driver who had to yield and didn’t. That comes up most often with left turns across oncoming traffic, running or rolling through a stop sign, and merging or pulling out without enough room. Fault can be shared, though: under Texas modified comparative negligence, your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, and you’re barred if you’re found more than 50% responsible. The crash report, photos, video, and witness statements often decide who had to yield, so preserve them early.

Who is at fault in a red-light crash in Austin?

Usually the driver who entered the intersection on a red light. The hard part is often proving who had the red, because both drivers may say they had the green, and the crash report doesn’t always settle it. Fault can also be shared: under Texas modified comparative negligence, your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, and you’re barred if you’re found more than 50% responsible (see partly at fault car accident Texas). Nearby business or doorbell video, dash-cam footage, witness names, and photos of where the cars ended up can show who the red-light runner was. Video can be overwritten, so ask for it fast.

Is it illegal to go through a yellow light in Texas?

A yellow light is a warning that the light is about to turn red, not a signal to speed up. Whether entering on yellow was careless usually depends on the driver’s speed, how close they were to the intersection, and whether they could have stopped safely. A driver who speeds up to beat the yellow and enters on red may be at fault. Under Texas modified comparative negligence, your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, and you’re barred if you’re found more than 50% responsible.

What if both drivers say they had a green light?

Then the evidence decides it, not the louder version of the story. In a T-bone crash where both drivers claim the green, intersection or business video, dash cams, independent witnesses, vehicle data, the crash damage and where the cars came to rest, and records from the agency that runs the signal can all help. Don’t argue about the light at the scene or in a recorded statement. Get witness names, and call early so video and records can be requested before they’re gone. Your share of fault, if any, can reduce your recovery.

Who is at fault when a left-turning driver is hit at a yellow or green light?

Often the turning driver, because a driver turning left usually has to yield to oncoming traffic, but not always. The other driver’s speed and light can still matter, and an oncoming driver who ran a red or was speeding can share fault or carry most of it. The failure-to-yield answer above covers the yield basics. Your share of fault, if any, can reduce your recovery, so photos, video, and witness names matter here too.

Will a red-light camera have recorded my crash?

Don’t assume there’s camera footage, and don’t assume there isn’t. Many intersections are covered by business, doorbell, or dash-cam video, and it can be overwritten quickly, so ask for it right away.

What if a stop sign was blocked by trees or foliage — can the city be in the case?

Sometimes the other driver is not the only party worth investigating. If overgrown branches or foliage hid a stop sign, a governmental unit that owns or maintains that sign may be in play under the Texas Tort Claims Act — with strict notice rules and immunity limits that do not apply to a private driver.

In City of Houston v. Horsley, No. 01-25-00422-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2026), the court of appeals affirmed the denial of the City’s early Rule 91a dismissal where the pleadings alleged that city-owned foliage obscured a city stop sign and contributed to a two-car crash. That decision is about whether the suit against the City can proceed past an early pleading challenge. It is not a final finding on who caused the wreck or what anyone recovers.

Practical next steps: photograph the intersection and the sign’s line of sight as soon as you can do so safely, keep the crash report, and do not assume “the city can’t be sued.” Talk through the facts before you close doors. Call (512) 872-2264 — Law Office of Robert House, River Place, Austin, Texas 78730. Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.