Do I need a lawyer after a car accident in Dallas?
The local steps are quoted from Dallas agency pages and the Texas rules from state law, each with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.
The short answer
Dallas sits in Dallas County, so a crash lawsuit from Dallas is filed in the Dallas County courts. The Dallas County justice of the peace courts, ten courts spread across five precincts, hear small claims of no more than $20,000, and that is the court a person can file in without a lawyer. Dallas County also runs County Courts at Law and Civil District Courts, which is where a larger crash case goes. Before any of that, the insurer will want the Dallas crash report, and if your car was towed the storage bill is growing while you decide. Nobody who is paid to take your case can tell you honestly whether you need one, so this page shows you the three things that actually decide it: what your own paperwork says, what Texas does about fault, and how much time is left.
Before you call anyone, get the report
Every insurer and every lawyer will ask for the crash report first. It is the document that says who the officer believed caused it. In Dallas you get it here.
Where your report comes from
Dallas does not sell crash reports on its own website. The Dallas Police Records Center sends the public to the TxDOT Crash Report Online Purchase System, known as CRIS, to buy the Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report. The police department's own online crash report form is only for government and courier requestors.
“Certified Vehicle Crash Reports from TXDOT Redirects to C.R.I.S”
How long you wait for it
A Dallas crash report is usually ready 5 to 7 working days after the crash.
“Reports are usually available 5 to 7 working days after the accident.”
Whose name is on it
The Dallas Police Department works crashes inside the Dallas city limits. Call 911 if anyone is hurt. For a crash that does not need an emergency response, the department lists 214-744-4444 as the number to call to make a report.
The bill that grows while you decide
Towing and storage in Dallas
A car towed after a Dallas crash goes to one of three city lots: the Dallas Police Auto Pound at 1955 Vilbig Rd., Peak Auto Storage North Dallas at 11211 Goodnight Ln., or Peak Auto Storage South Dallas at 4206 E. Ledbetter Rd. To find your car, its status and what you owe, call 972-430-6200 or use the tow lookup the department links. The Auto Pound itself answers at 214-670-5116.
“If your vehicle was towed, you may obtain its location, status, and associated fees by calling the number listed, visiting the link or via the QR code.”
Storage is charged by the day, and an impound lot can sell a car that nobody claims. That clock runs whether or not anyone has admitted fault, so deal with the car first and argue about blame after.
Where a Dallas case is filed, and when you don't need a lawyer at all
The court that would hear it
Dallas sits in Dallas County, so a crash lawsuit from Dallas is filed in the Dallas County courts. The Dallas County justice of the peace courts, ten courts spread across five precincts, hear small claims of no more than $20,000, and that is the court a person can file in without a lawyer. Dallas County also runs County Courts at Law and Civil District Courts, which is where a larger crash case goes.
“The claim can be for no more than $20,000, excluding statutory interest and court costs but including attorney fees, if any.”
A small claim you file yourself costs a filing fee and an afternoon. A claim worth more than the small claims limit, or one where you are hurt, is the kind people bring a lawyer into. Neither choice is ours to make for you.
How fault changes what you get
If you were partly at fault
Texas uses modified comparative fault, called proportionate responsibility. You cannot recover any money if your own share of fault is greater than 50 percent.
“a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent”
How long you have
- 2 years
- to sue for injuriesTex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003(a)
- 2 years
- to sue for car or property damageTex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003(a)
- 2 years
- for a family to sue after a deathTex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003(b)
- 6 months
- to notify the government if a public vehicle or road was involvedTex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101(a)
How injury lawyers charge in Texas
Contingency fee rules
Texas has no dollar or percentage cap on personal injury contingency fees. The fee has to be reasonable, and the contingent fee agreement must be in writing.
“A contingent fee agreement shall be in writing and shall state the method by which the fee is to be determined.”
Questions to ask any lawyer before you sign
- What percentage do you charge, and does it change if the case goes to trial?
- Who pays case costs like records and expert fees if we lose?
- Will you handle my case yourself, or pass it to someone else?
- How long do cases like mine usually take here?
- What is the deadline for my claim, and when will you file?
Other Texas rules that can change what you get
- If a Dallas vehicle or a road defect was involved
If a Texas or local government vehicle or a government's road or property caused your crash, the government must receive written notice within 6 months of the crash, unless it already actually knew about the death, injury, or property damage.
Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101(a)- If the insurer is the problem
You can file a complaint against an insurance company with the Texas Department of Insurance online through the Consumer Complaint Portal, or by calling the TDI Help Line.
Texas Dept of Insurance, Consumer Complaints
Sources on this page
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
The state law behind these steps
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
Know My Claim is not a law firm or a government agency, and this page is not legal advice. Laws change, so check the linked source before you rely on a deadline.