What should I do immediately after a truck accident in Texas?

The First Hours After a San Antonio Truck Accident Determine Your Case

Call 911, photograph the truck’s DOT number and all vehicle markings before anything moves, seek medical attention the same day, and call Wayne Wright before speaking to any carrier representative, dispatcher, or insurance adjuster. I-35 through downtown San Antonio is one of the most heavily trafficked commercial freight corridors in the United States — and the moment a serious crash occurs, the trucking company’s accident response team is already mobilizing. Their goal is to control the evidence narrative before your attorney arrives.

Step 1: Call 911 and Secure an Official Crash Report

Call 911 immediately. SAPD responds to crashes within San Antonio city limits. For crashes on unincorporated Bexar County roads, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office responds. TxDOT Emergency Response assists on major highway incidents including I-35 and Loop 410 interchanges. Request the responding officer’s name, badge number, and incident number before they leave the scene. The full SAPD crash report is typically available within 3–5 business days.

If law enforcement does not respond, you must file a Texas CR-2 form with the DPS within 10 days. In commercial truck cases, do not skip this step — the carrier’s defense team will use any gap in official documentation to dispute the account of what happened.

Step 2: Photograph These Specific Items Before Anything Moves

• DOT number: The USDOT number on the cab door identifies the motor carrier in FMCSA records — your key to the carrier’s full safety history and compliance record
• License plates: Both tractor and trailer plates — they are often registered to different entities, both potentially liable
• Trailer number: Traces the cargo owner and shipper — separate defendants with separate insurance
• Company name and branding: The operating carrier on the cab door may differ from the name painted on the trailer
• All vehicle damage: Multiple angles, skid marks, final resting positions, road surface, and any visible cargo spillage
• Dashcam: Photograph whether a dashcam is visible — this documents awareness that footage exists and should be preserved

Step 3: Seek Medical Attention the Same Day

Go directly to University Health, Baptist Medical Center, or Methodist Hospital — San Antonio’s major trauma centers. Even if you feel fine at the scene, traumatic brain injuries, cervical spine damage, and internal injuries from high-impact truck crashes frequently do not manifest for 24–72 hours. Adrenaline suppresses pain signals during and immediately after the crash.

Every day without medical treatment after a truck accident is a “gap in care” argument the carrier’s adjuster will use to minimize your claim. Go the same day. Follow every treatment plan. Never miss a scheduled follow-up.

Step 4: Do Not Speak to the Carrier’s Representatives

The trucking company’s dispatcher, safety officer, or insurance adjuster may contact you at the crash scene or within hours afterward. They are adverse parties. Do not provide any statement — written, recorded, or verbal — without your attorney present. This is not the same as refusing to cooperate with SAPD or TxDOT — you must speak with responding law enforcement. The carrier’s team is a separate matter entirely.

Major trucking carriers operating I-35 through San Antonio use dedicated claims teams that process hundreds of Texas claims annually. They know how Bexar County juries evaluate damages. You should not be navigating that alone at the scene of a crash.

Step 5: Collect Witness Information Before Anyone Leaves

Get full names and phone numbers from every available witness before they depart. On San Antonio’s I-35, Loop 410, and US-90 corridors, witnesses in nearby vehicles are often the only independent account of what happened — and they leave quickly. SAPD crash reports frequently capture only witnesses who approached officers, missing bystanders who saw the crash from adjacent lanes.

Step 6: Preserve Your Own Evidence

• Do not repair your vehicle until Wayne Wright authorizes it — vehicle damage is physical evidence of impact force
• Save all dashcam footage from your vehicle immediately before it overwrites
• Keep all clothing worn in the crash — bloodstains and damage document injury severity
• Do not post about the crash, your injuries, or your physical condition on any social media platform

Step 7: Call Wayne Wright Before the Evidence Window Closes

Call 210-888-0078 immediately — not after the weekend, not after you’ve spoken to the carrier’s adjuster. Wayne Wright issues same-day spoliation letters to the carrier, TxDOT camera subpoenas for I-35 and Loop 410 footage, business surveillance preservation demands, and ECM download authorization. The carrier’s defense team was activated at the crash scene. Your legal response needs to match that speed.