Texas gives you a fixed window to sue after a car accident, and missing it almost always ends your case — even if liability is obvious. The default is two years, but several exceptions can shorten or extend it. Knowing the right deadline is the single most important thing in any injury claim.
Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §16.003 gives you 2 years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit for bodily injury. Insurance negotiations don't pause the clock — only filing does.
Damage to your car (or anything else) follows the same 2-year clock. Don't assume an open insurance claim protects you; if the carrier stalls past two years, your right to sue can be gone.
If a city, county, or state vehicle was involved, you usually have 6 months to file a notice of claim under the Texas Tort Claims Act. Skip that step and the lawsuit is barred even if you file within 2 years.
If the injured person was under 18, the 2-year clock generally doesn't start until their 18th birthday — meaning a child injured at 12 has until age 20 to file.
If a loved one died from a Texas crash, surviving family members usually have 2 years from the date of death (not the date of the accident) to file a wrongful-death suit.
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NotALawyer.com provides general legal information, not legal advice.