Do I need a lawyer after a car accident in Houston?
The local steps are quoted from Houston agency pages and the Texas rules from state law, each with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.
The short answer
Houston sits in Harris County, so a crash lawsuit from Houston is filed in the Harris County courts. The Harris County justice of the peace courts take a small claims case up to $20,000 that you can file yourself. Before any of that, the insurer will want the Houston 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 Houston you get it here.
Where your report comes from
Houston crash reports are sold online through the LexisNexis crash report portal that the police department links from its own records page. You pick Texas as the state and Houston PD as the agency.
“Crash Reports can be purchased online from the Texas Department of Transportation at https://buycrash.lexisnexisrisk.com.”
How long you wait for it
Houston crash reports take about 5 to 8 days to process before the public can get a copy.
“Accident reports require 5 to 8 days processing time before they are available to the public.”
Whose name is on it
The Houston Police Department works crashes inside the Houston city limits. Call 911 if anyone is hurt. For a crash that is not an emergency, call 713-884-3131.
The bill that grows while you decide
Towing and storage in Houston
A car towed after a Houston crash goes to a vehicle storage lot. Look it up by license plate or VIN at findmytowedcar.com, which also shows the storage fees owed, or call the city tow line at 713-308-8580. The regulated city tow charge is $232.00 for the first 20 miles plus $4.64 for each mile after that.
“You can call the tow line at 713-308-8580 or go to Findmytowedcar.com.”
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 Houston case is filed, and when you don't need a lawyer at all
The court that would hear it
Houston sits in Harris County, so a crash lawsuit from Houston is filed in the Harris County courts. The Harris County justice of the peace courts take a small claims case up to $20,000 that you can file yourself.
“The claim can be for no more than $20,000 (or $10,000 if the case was filed prior to September 1, 2020)”
How to file a small claims case in a Harris County justice court
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 Houston 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.