Your health

Getting checked by a doctor

After a crash, many people feel "fine" at first. Stress and adrenaline can hide pain for a while. Some injuries take time to show. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says signs of a concussion can take hours or days to appear or be noticed.

Get help right away for warning signs #

Why get checked, even if you feel okay #

• Some injuries show up later. A doctor can check you now and tell you what to watch for.
• You get a plan. You can ask what to do if pain starts or gets worse.
• Your insurer may ask for records. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) suggests keeping your medical records and bills for your insurance company.

You can see your regular doctor, go to an urgent care clinic, or go to an emergency room. When you check in, tell them you were in a car crash.

We don't recommend doctors or clinics, and we don't take money from any. Choose care the way you normally would, or ask your regular doctor or your health plan for help.

Be careful with uninvited offers #

After a crash, you may get calls, texts, letters or messages from people you never contacted. Some want to send you to a certain clinic, doctor or chiropractor.

How medical bills may get paid #

Several kinds of coverage may help. Check your policy and ask your insurance company.

• Personal injury protection (PIP). Pays reasonable medical bills, and some lost income, for you, people in your household, and passengers in your car, no matter who caused the crash. Texas auto policies include PIP unless you turned it down in writing. It covers costs you have within three years of the crash. See Insurance claim basics for how much PIP pays.
• Medical payments coverage. Pays medical bills for you and your passengers, up to your limit.
• The other driver's liability insurance. If the other driver caused the crash, TDI says their insurer should pay your medical bills. This can take time, and it may be disputed.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Can help if the at-fault driver had no insurance or not enough.
• Your health insurance. You can usually use your health plan, Medicare or Medicaid. Your plan may ask about the crash, and it may have a right to be paid back out of money you later get from an injury claim. Tell the provider's office about all of your coverage.

If you were driving for work, tell your employer about any injury. Texas law gives you 30 days from the injury to tell your employer. For workers' comp questions, call the TDI Division of Workers' Compensation at 800-252-7031, option 1.

About hospital bills and your claim. If someone else caused the crash and you were admitted to a hospital within 72 hours, Texas law gives the hospital a lien on your injury claim. That means the hospital can be paid out of money you recover. If you get a settlement offer, ask the insurance company about any liens before you sign. A lawyer can explain how liens affect your situation.

Keep good records #

Start a simple folder, paper or digital. Keep:

Getting copies of your records. Ask the provider's records office in writing. The Texas Medical Board says a Texas doctor must provide copies within 15 business days after getting your written request. The doctor can charge a reasonable fee. Hospitals and other providers have their own steps, so ask them.

Follow your care plan. Go to follow-up visits. If you can't make one, call and reschedule.

Keep your health information private #

• Read any medical release before you sign it. Some medical release forms are very broad. Ask what records it covers before you sign, or ask a lawyer first.
• Think before you post. What you share about the crash or your health on social media can be seen by many people.
• We never ask for your health details. Please don't send injury or medical information through our contact form or by email.

When to talk to a lawyer #

It may be a good time to talk with a lawyer if you were hurt, if bills are piling up, or if an insurance company disputes your claim. Texas law sets deadlines to file a lawsuit. For many injury claims, it is two years from the crash. A lawyer can tell you which deadline applies to you. See How to find and check a lawyer.

This page is general information, not medical or legal advice. It is not a substitute for the advice of a doctor or an attorney. Last checked October 2026. See our disclaimer.

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