Fighting for Victims
Texas Car
Accident Lawyer
Texas Car Accident Lawyer Helping
Injured Drivers Protect Their Rights
A serious crash can disrupt your life in minutes. One moment you may be driving to work, picking up your children, or heading home. Next, you may be dealing with pain, medical appointments, missed paychecks, vehicle repairs, and an insurance adjuster asking questions about the collision.
A Texas car accident lawyer can help protect your interests while you focus on your recovery.
At Ried Pecina Trial Lawyers, we represent injured people in car accident cases throughout Texas. Our team focuses on early evidence preservation, careful review of crash and medical records, and documenting both fault and the full extent of your damages.
We prepare cases with litigation in mind from the beginning and keep clients informed throughout the process.
Why You Need a Texas Car Accident Lawyer
Preserve Critical Evidence
Photos, surveillance footage, witness information, crash reports, and vehicle damage can become harder to obtain over time. Early investigation can help preserve important evidence before it disappears.
Deal With Insurance Companies
Insurance adjusters may request statements or push for an early settlement. Your attorney can handle communications and help protect you from decisions that could weaken your claim.
Prove the Full Impact of Your Injuries
A strong claim looks beyond the first emergency-room bill. Medical treatment, future care, missed income, physical limitations, and long-term effects may all need to be documented.
Prepare for Litigation
Some claims resolve through negotiation. Others require litigation. Preparing the case properly from the beginning helps create leverage if the insurer disputes liability or damages.
What our Clients Say About Us
Meet the
Texas Car Accident Lawyers Behind Your Case
Founding Partner
Arthur S. Ried
Arthur S. Ried brings extensive civil and criminal trial experience, insurance defense insight, and disciplined courtroom preparation to personal injury cases.
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Founding Partner
Juan R. Pecina
Juan R. Pecina is a bilingual Texas trial attorney who has handled thousands of cases and advocates for injured clients with focus and determination.
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Why Hiring a Texas Car Accident Lawyer Early Matters
Insurance companies often begin investigating a crash quickly. Evidence may disappear, witnesses may become harder to locate, and early statements can later become part of a liability dispute. Getting legal help early can make it easier to preserve evidence and properly document the claim.
A strong early response can help:
- Preserve evidence before it disappears, including video footage, witness details, and vehicle damage documentation.
- Avoid recorded-statement traps and pressure to accept a low early settlement
- Identify every potentially liable party, not only the other driver
- Document injuries and connect treatment to the collision
- Calculate losses beyond current medical bills, including future care and reduced earning capacity when supported
What Makes Ried Pecina Trial Lawyers Different from a Typical Auto Accident Law Firm
There are many firms that advertise car accident representation. The difference often comes down to how the case is prepared. Ried Pecina Trial Lawyers emphasizes direct attorney involvement, careful evidence review, clear communication, and preparation for trial when necessary.
When you hire our auto accident law firm, you can expect:
- Trial-focused preparation from the beginning
- Personalized attorney attention and clear communication
- Investigation resources, including coordination with accident reconstruction and medical professionals when needed
- A detailed review of liability, medical documentation, work impact, and other supported losses
Do I Have a Case Under Texas Law?
Many Texas car accident claims involve negligence. In practical terms, negligence means another person or entity failed to use reasonable care and caused harm. Common examples include speeding, distracted driving, failure to yield, reckless driving, impaired driving, and inattention.
You may have a claim when another party contributed to the crash and you suffered documented losses such as medical expenses, lost income, physical limitations, or property damage. Even when fault is not immediately clear, crash reports, photographs, video, witness statements, vehicle damage, and medical records can help clarify what happened.
Texas Comparative Fault: What if I Was Partly to Blame?
Texas uses a modified comparative negligence system. Responsibility can be shared, and the amount recoverable may be reduced or barred depending on how fault is allocated. Insurance companies may use comparative-fault arguments to reduce the value of a claim, which makes objective evidence especially important when liability is disputed.
A Texas car accident attorney can review the available information and address fault arguments using crash records, photographs, witness testimony, video evidence, vehicle damage, and other documentation.
What Causes Car Accidents in Texas?
Most injury claims are based on preventable driving behavior or other negligence. Common causes include:
- Distracted driving, including phone use and in-vehicle distractions
- Speeding or driving too fast for road, traffic, or weather conditions
- Failure to yield at intersections, turns, and highway entrances
- Unsafe lane changes and blind-spot errors
- Following too closely and inadequate stopping distance
- Impaired driving involving alcohol or drugs
- Fatigued driving
- Ignoring traffic signals, signs, or other roadway rules
A Texas car accident lawyer focuses on proving what happened with documents and objective facts rather than assumptions. That can include crash reports, scene photos, vehicle damage patterns, witness accounts, video, and medical records connecting injuries to the collision.
When a crash involves suspected alcohol or drug impairment, related criminal proceedings may also arise. For defense-specific information, see our DWI/DUI Lawyer in Texas page.
Types of Car Accident Cases We Handle Across Texas
Different crash types can require different evidence and investigative strategies. Common cases include:
If the collision involved an 18-wheeler, tractor-trailer, or other commercial vehicle, see our Texas Truck Accident Lawyer page for the liability, insurance, and evidence issues that can make truck claims different from standard car accident cases.
Rear-End Crashes
Rear-end collisions often involve following too closely or distracted driving. Insurers may focus heavily on vehicle damage, so consistent medical documentation can be important when symptoms worsen after the first day.
Intersection and Side-Impact Crashes
These crashes often involve failure to yield, running a light, or entering an intersection unsafely. Helpful evidence can include witness statements, intersection layout, traffic-signal information, and available video.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on crashes can cause severe injuries and may require detailed documentation of long-term treatment needs, work impact, and daily limitations.
Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents can involve multiple impacts and serious trauma. These claims may depend on scene documentation, vehicle condition records, and clear medical reporting.
Multi-Vehicle Crashes
Chain-reaction collisions can lead to disputes among multiple drivers and insurers. These claims often require a careful timeline and a clear explanation of which impacts caused which injuries.
Hit-and-Run Collisions
When the at-fault driver leaves the scene, a claim may still be possible depending on the available evidence and applicable insurance coverage. Documentation and timing become especially important.
Car Accident Injuries: What Matters for Proof and Treatment
Injuries from a collision can range from mild to life-changing. In a claim, the diagnosis matters, but so does the documentation: when symptoms started, how they progressed, what treatment was recommended, and how the injury affected day-to-day life.
Common injuries include:
- Whiplash and soft tissue injuries
- Neck and back injuries, including disc problems
- Concussions and other head injuries
- Broken bones and joint injuries
- Shoulder and knee injuries that may require surgery
- Nerve pain, numbness, and radiating symptoms
- Internal injuries
- Burns, scarring, chronic pain, or reduced mobility
- Emotional distress, sleep problems, and driving anxiety
If symptoms appear later, that does not automatically mean the injury is unrelated. Prompt evaluation and consistent records can help clarify the medical timeline and the effect of the crash.
What Compensation May Be Available After a Texas Car Accident?
Compensation depends on provable losses. A Texas car accident lawyer typically builds the claim by documenting both financial costs and the human impact of the injury. Potential categories may include:
Medical Costs
- Emergency care, hospital treatment, surgery, and specialist visits
- Medication, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and medically supported future care
Income Loss and Work Impact
- Missed wages during recovery
- Reduced earning capacity when injuries create longer-term work limitations
Pain and Suffering
Physical pain, limitations, inconvenience, and disruption to everyday life may be part of the documented harm caused by the collision.
Property Damage and Related Costs
Vehicle repair or replacement, towing, and other accident-related property expenses may also be part of the claim.
Emotional Distress
Serious crashes may contribute to anxiety, sleep problems, or other emotional effects that should be documented when they are part of the injury picture.
Loss of Consortium
In some cases, a spouse may have a related claim when serious injuries substantially affect the marital relationship.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Texas
If the crash was recent, the steps below can help protect both your health and the documentation needed for a claim. If time has passed, preserve what information you still have.
- Get medical care as soon as possible and follow medical advice
- Report the crash when appropriate and obtain the report or case number
- Take photos or video of the scene, vehicles, visible injuries, roadway conditions, and traffic signs when safe
- Collect witness names and contact details
- Save medical paperwork, receipts, repair records, and proof of missed work
- Be cautious about recorded statements and broad medical authorizations requested by insurers
- Avoid posting details about the crash or your injuries on social media
- Speak with a Texas car accident lawyer if injuries are involved, fault is disputed, or an insurer is pressuring you to settle
Serving Car Accident Victims Throughout Texas
Ried Pecina Trial Lawyers represents car accident victims throughout Texas, with a strong presence in the Rio Grande Valley and the greater San Antonio area. Explore the communities we serve below or contact our team if your accident occurred elsewhere in Texas.
If your crash occurred in Brownsville or nearby Rio Grande Valley communities, visit our Brownsville Car Accident Lawyer page for location-specific information.
Rio Grande Valley and Surrounding Communities
- Brownsville
- Harlingen
- San Benito
- Los Fresnos
- Los Indios
- Rancho Viejo
- Olmito
- La Feria
- Mercedes
- Donna
- Weslaco
- Raymondville
- South Padre Island
San Antonio Area and Nearby Communities
If your crash occurred in San Antonio or the surrounding Bexar County area, visit our San Antonio Car Accident Lawyer page for location-specific information.
- San Antonio
- Schertz
- Bandera
- New Braunfels
- San Marcos
- Boerne
- Leon Springs
- Fair Oaks Ranch
- Leon Valley
If your crash occurred outside the communities listed above, contact our team to discuss your case and whether we can help.
People Also Ask
Is It Worth Getting a Lawyer After a Texas Car Accident?
It may be, especially if you were injured, fault is disputed, the insurance company is asking for a recorded statement, or you are being pressured to accept an early settlement. A Texas car accident lawyer can help preserve evidence, document your injuries and losses, handle insurance communications, and evaluate whether a settlement fairly reflects the impact of the crash.
How Much Do Lawyers Take From a Car Accident Settlement in Texas?
Car accident cases are commonly handled on a contingency-fee basis, meaning attorney fees are paid as a percentage of the compensation recovered rather than upfront. The exact percentage and treatment of case-related costs can vary, so the fee agreement should be explained before representation begins. Ried Pecina Trial Lawyers offers a free initial consultation and does not require upfront attorney fees for personal injury cases.
What Is the Average Settlement for a Car Accident in Texas?
There is no reliable average settlement that predicts what an individual Texas car accident case is worth. The value depends on factors such as fault, the severity of the injuries, medical expenses, future treatment, lost income, long-term limitations, available insurance coverage, and the strength of the supporting evidence.
How Long Does a Car Accident Settlement Take With a Lawyer in Texas?
The timeline varies from case to case. Some claims may resolve within a few months, while cases involving ongoing medical treatment, disputed liability, significant injuries, multiple insurers, or litigation may take considerably longer. A lawyer can usually provide a more realistic timeline after reviewing the evidence and understanding the extent of the injuries.
What Should I Do if the Insurance Company Asks for a Recorded Statement?
Be cautious before giving a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company. Statements made early in the claim may later be used to dispute fault or minimize your injuries. You can ask what information is being requested and consider speaking with a car accident lawyer before providing a detailed recorded statement.
What if I Was Partly at Fault for the Car Accident?
Being partly responsible does not automatically mean you cannot recover compensation. Texas uses a modified comparative-fault system, so the amount you may recover can depend on the percentage of responsibility assigned to each party. Evidence such as crash reports, photographs, video, witness statements, and vehicle damage can be important when fault is disputed.
What if the Other Driver Does Not Have Insurance or Leaves the Scene?
You may still have options. Depending on your insurance coverage and the circumstances of the crash, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may apply. Hit-and-run claims can also require additional evidence and timely reporting, so reviewing the available insurance policies early can be important.
Can I Still Have a Claim if I Did Not See a Doctor the Same Day?
Possibly. Some injuries, including neck, back, or head injuries, may not become fully apparent immediately after a crash. However, delays in treatment can make it harder to establish the connection between the collision and your symptoms. Seek appropriate medical care and make sure your symptoms and treatment are documented.
How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Texas?
Texas generally imposes a two-year limitations period for personal injury claims arising from car accidents, but exceptions may affect the deadline in specific circumstances. Because missing the applicable deadline can prevent a claim from moving forward, it is better to review the timing of your case early.
Not Just Your Lawyer
Your Advocate
Every injury case is unique, but in most situations, victims may be entitled to compensation for both financial losses and emotional or physical suffering. At Ried Pecina Trial Lawyers, we take the time to understand the full scope of your damages, so nothing is left out when we fight for your recovery.
Here is what you can expect when working with our team
We’ll review every detail of your case
Including police reports, witness statements, and medical records.
We’ll handle communication
With the insurance company so you don’t have to.
We’ll prepare for trial
From day one, so they know we’re serious.
You’ll work directly with your attorney
Not just support staff.
What You May
Be Entitled To
Depending on the facts of your case, you may be able to recover compensation for:
- Medical bills (past and future)
- Lost wages and loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Physical therapy and long-term care
- Emotional distress
We’ll walk you through each category and make sure nothing is left on the table.
Common Injuries
After a Crash
Even accidents that seem “minor” at first can lead to lasting damage. We regularly work
with clients suffering from:
- Whiplash and soft tissue injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Head trauma or concussion
- Broken bones
- Internal injuries
- Chronic pain or reduced mobility
We’ll work closely with your care providers to fully understand the scope of your injuries and how they affect your day-to-day life.