A car accident lawyer in El Paso deals with the insurance company and gathers the records your claim rests on. Texas law decides who pays, how fault is shared and how long you have to file.
Zinda Law Group offers a free consultation about your car accident at (800) 863-5312. You pay nothing unless we win.
Article summary
Key things to know
- A Texas liability policy must cover at least $30,000 for one person’s injuries.
- A Texas auto policy includes uninsured motorist coverage unless it was rejected in writing.
- Texas reduces your damages by your share of fault and bars recovery if you were more than 50 percent responsible.
- A Texas injury lawsuit generally must be filed within two years.
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Hurt in a car accident in El Paso?
We look at whose insurance applies and how much time Texas law gives you.
What an El Paso car accident lawyer does
Car accident lawyers handle personal injury claims for people hurt by a negligent driver. Some people search for a car wreck lawyer or a crash attorney. The job is the same.
A car accident attorney collects the police reports, your medical records and the witness statements. The attorney also answers the adjuster and checks each offer against your medical bills and lost wages.
Our Texas car accident lawyers page covers the state rules in more depth. A general overview of these claims is on our main car accident lawyer page. The office and other personal injury cases are covered on our El Paso personal injury lawyers page.
Car accidents in El Paso
TxDOT recorded 15,253 crashes inside the city limits in 2024. Of those, 66 were fatal crashes that killed 69 people. TxDOT also counted 243 suspected serious injuries. These figures do not say who was at fault.
Auto accidents in El Paso are not limited to two cars. Collisions with buses are covered on our El Paso bus accident page. Riders hit by a driver can read our local bicycle accident lawyer page. When a wreck is fatal, our El Paso wrongful death page explains the family’s claim.
What to do after a car crash in El Paso
Accident victims can protect a claim in the first hours.
- Call the police. Texas law requires a report right away when someone is hurt or a vehicle cannot be driven safely.
- Stay and help. A driver in a collision that injures someone must stop, remain at the accident scene and give reasonable help.
- Seek medical attention immediately. A same-day visit puts your injuries on record.
- Exchange contact and insurance information. Get the other driver’s name, plate number and insurance company.
- Photograph the accident scene. Capture the vehicle damage, the traffic signs and the traffic signals.
- Wait on recorded statements. The other driver’s insurance company may call soon. Do not admit fault or apologize at the scene or on that call. Talk to a lawyer first.
How to get an accident report in El Paso is explained in our FAQ. Another article covers what to do when someone hits your parked car.
Insurance questions an El Paso auto accident lawyer answers
In most car accident cases, the first claim goes to the at-fault driver’s insurance company. An auto accident lawyer reads that policy and yours.
Texas requires drivers to establish financial responsibility, and liability insurance is one way to do it. Under section 601.072 of the Transportation Code, the insurance minimums are $30,000 for bodily injury to one person, $60,000 for two or more people in one collision and $25,000 for property damage.
A minimum is not what a claim is worth.
Uninsured motorist coverage and personal injury protection
A Texas auto liability policy includes uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage unless a named insured rejected it in writing. Personal injury protection works the same way.
Your own auto coverage matters when the other driver has none. Our FAQ covers what to do when you are injured by an uninsured motorist in El Paso. A separate article explains how to get your medical bills paid after a car accident.
Hit and run accidents raise the same problem, because the driver who must stop is gone. Our guide explains what to do after a hit and run.
Fault in El Paso car accident claims
Texas calls its fault rule proportionate responsibility, often called comparative negligence. You can recover damages when you were 50 percent or less responsible. Your percentage reduces the amount under sections 33.001 and 33.012 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code.
One article covers claims when you were partially at fault. Another explains who is at fault in a right-turn accident.
Car accident cases often turn on what the at-fault driver was doing. Distracted driving, speeding and drunk driving are examples. Our articles explain what to do when you are hit by someone texting while driving and how to spot tire defects and tread separation.
Common injuries in car accident cases
Cases involving serious injuries call for more records. Accident victims come to us with injuries like these.
- Whiplash and other neck injuries
- Broken bones
- Internal injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
Catastrophic injuries can change daily life for good. Seek medical attention even when the pain seems minor. One article describes the common injuries from a car accident. Another explains what to do if you got whiplash.
What El Paso car accident claims can cover
A car accident claim asks the liable parties to pay for what the wreck cost you. Texas law and the proof decide which losses you can recover compensation for.
Losses with a receipt
Medical expenses come first, from the ambulance to future medical care. For medical expenses already incurred, Texas limits recovery to the amounts actually paid or incurred. Lost wages and other lost income come next. Our article on economic damage compensation explains these losses.
Property damage to your vehicle is its own part of the claim, covered in our article on property damage to your car.
Losses without one
Pain, emotional distress and the limits an injury puts on daily life have no receipt. Lawyers call these non-economic damages. Emotional distress is harder to show than a bill.
Fair compensation counts both kinds of loss. Accident victims with serious injuries need records that show each one.
Filing deadlines
Questions about how much time you have?
How the claims process works
The claims process starts with notice to the insurance company. Have your insurance information and the crash report ready. An adjuster reviews them with your medical records and may make an offer.
When you hire us, our personal injury lawyers gather the records, send a demand and negotiate for fair compensation. Accident victims decide whether to accept any offer.
A lawsuit can be the next step in the legal process when the insurance company will not reach a fair agreement. El Paso County’s district courts and county courts at law hear injury lawsuits at the county courthouse at 500 E San Antonio.
Once a claim settles, our article on the car accident settlement check explains who is paid from it. A claim against the City of El Paso has its own rule. The city’s code generally requires sworn written notice to the mayor within 90 days of the injury, or within six months for good cause.
When you are ready
Talk through the next step.
Free consultation with an El Paso car accident attorney
Start with a free case evaluation by phone or online. Our personal injury lawyers go over the collision and the deadline that applies.
Zinda Law Group is an accident law firm with an El Paso office at 2300 George Dieter Drive, El Paso, TX 79936. Our accident attorneys offer legal assistance to people hurt anywhere in the county.
Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, so there is no out-of-pocket cost to secure the legal representation you need. The cost to hire a lawyer is covered in more detail in our FAQ.
John (Jack) Zinda
Founder / CEO
Over 100 years of combined experience representing injured victims across the country.
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Neil Solomon
Partner
Real results matter. We do not get paid unless we win your case.
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