Houston Hospitals and Trauma Centers After an Accident

A Level I trauma center is the highest designation a hospital can receive. It means the hospital has 24-hour in-house coverage by general surgeons, orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists, and other critical care specialists. These hospitals handle the most severe, life-threatening injuries — major car accidents, falls from significant heights, and multi-system trauma. Houston has two Level I trauma centers, both in the Texas Medical Center.

Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center — 6411 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030. Phone: (713) 704-4000. Memorial Hermann-TMC is the primary teaching hospital for McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. The hospital treats more than 40,000 emergency patients per year and operates the Red Duke Trauma Institute, one of the busiest trauma programs in the United States. Memorial Hermann-TMC is the only Level I trauma center in Houston with a designated helipad for air ambulance transport, making it the destination for the most critical trauma patients transported by Life Flight helicopter from across southeast Texas.

Ben Taub Hospital — 1504 Taub Loop, Houston, TX 77030. Phone: (713) 873-2000. Ben Taub is part of the Harris Health System and serves as a primary teaching hospital for Baylor College of Medicine. The Ginni and Richard Mithoff Trauma Center at Ben Taub treats more than 80,000 emergency patients per year. Ben Taub was re-verified as a Level I trauma center in 2025, confirming its continued capability to handle the most complex trauma cases. As a public safety-net hospital, Ben Taub provides care regardless of a patient's ability to pay.

Level II trauma centers can handle most serious injuries and have 24-hour surgical coverage, but may not have the full range of subspecialties that Level I centers maintain on site at all times. For Houston-area residents outside the Texas Medical Center, these facilities provide excellent emergency trauma care closer to home.

HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake — 500 Medical Center Boulevard, Webster, TX 77598. Phone: (281) 332-2511. Clear Lake is a 532-bed facility with Level II trauma designation, serving the Bay Area and southeast Harris County communities including League City, Friendswood, and Pearland. The hospital has board-certified trauma surgeons and neurosurgeons on call 24/7.

HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood — 22999 U.S. Highway 59 North, Kingwood, TX 77339. Phone: (281) 348-8000. Kingwood is a 457-bed acute care hospital with Level II trauma designation, serving the northeast Houston, Humble, Atascocita, and Kingwood communities.

Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center — 9250 Pinecroft Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77380. Phone: (713) 897-2300. This facility serves as the primary trauma center for The Woodlands, Spring, Conroe, and the rapidly growing north Houston corridor. It provides Level II trauma care with 24-hour surgical coverage.

Level III trauma centers provide initial evaluation, stabilization, and emergency surgery for trauma patients, with transfer agreements to Level I or Level II centers for patients needing more specialized care. Houston has several Level III facilities that serve as important access points across the metro area.

Houston Methodist Hospital — 6565 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030. Phone: (713) 790-3311. Houston Methodist is a nationally ranked hospital in the Texas Medical Center. While not a Level I trauma center, its emergency department handles a high volume of accident-related injuries and provides excellent surgical and critical care services.

St. Joseph Medical Center — 1401 St. Joseph Parkway, Houston, TX 77002. Phone: (713) 757-1000. St. Joseph is a Level III trauma center in downtown Houston, conveniently located near the central business district and major freeways.

Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital (LBJ) — 5656 Kelley Street, Houston, TX 77026. Phone: (713) 566-5000. LBJ is part of the Harris Health System and serves as a Level III trauma center for northeast Houston. Like Ben Taub, LBJ is a public hospital that provides care regardless of ability to pay.

Houston is home to one of the nation's top children's hospitals. Texas Children's Hospital — 6621 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030. Phone: (832) 824-1000. Texas Children's is the largest children's hospital in the United States and operates a dedicated pediatric emergency center. While not a designated trauma center, Texas Children's provides comprehensive emergency care for children and has pediatric surgical specialists available 24/7.

For children with severe traumatic injuries, paramedics will typically transport to Memorial Hermann-TMC or Ben Taub, which have pediatric trauma capabilities within their Level I programs. Texas Children's is in the same Texas Medical Center campus, allowing rapid transfer or consultation if needed.

If your child has been injured in a car accident, go to the nearest emergency room immediately for any concerning symptoms — difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, persistent vomiting, unequal pupils, or severe pain. Children can deteriorate quickly, and pediatric injuries sometimes present differently than adult injuries.

Call 911 or go directly to the emergency room for: loss of consciousness (even briefly), heavy or uncontrolled bleeding, suspected broken bones or dislocated joints, chest pain or difficulty breathing, severe abdominal pain, head injuries with confusion or vomiting, neck or back pain with numbness or tingling, deep cuts that may need stitches, or any injury where you cannot bear weight or move a limb normally.

Urgent care may be appropriate for: minor cuts and scrapes, mild soreness without severe pain, bruising without suspected fractures, and follow-up visits for minor injuries already evaluated. However, after a car accident, many people underestimate their injuries due to adrenaline. Soft tissue injuries, concussions, and internal injuries may not show symptoms for hours or days.

Even if you feel fine at the scene, consider going to the ER or seeing a doctor within 24 to 72 hours. Delayed treatment creates problems for your personal injury claim — the insurance company will argue that if your injuries were serious, you would have sought treatment immediately. An ER visit the same day as the accident creates the strongest medical documentation linking the accident to your injuries.

Every medical visit after your accident creates documentation that becomes evidence in your personal injury claim. The ER records establish the initial injury diagnosis and its connection to the accident. Follow-up visits show the progression of your recovery or the worsening of your condition. Diagnostic imaging (X-rays, CT scans, MRIs) provides objective evidence of injuries.

Tell every doctor exactly how your injuries happened. Say 'I was in a car accident on [date] and I am experiencing [symptoms].' This creates a documented connection between the accident and your medical condition. Do not downplay your symptoms — if your neck hurts, say so. If you have headaches, mention them. Under-reporting symptoms leads to medical records that do not fully capture your injuries, which weakens your claim.

Keep every medical bill, receipt, and explanation of benefits (EOB) from your insurance company. These documents form the basis of your economic damages. Also keep a daily pain journal documenting your symptoms, how they affect your daily life, and any activities you can no longer do. This supports your non-economic damages claim for pain and suffering.

Texas uses proportionate responsibility (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Ch. 33), which means the other side will argue you were partially at fault or that your injuries are not as serious as claimed. Thorough, consistent medical documentation from the day of the accident forward is your best defense.

If you were injured in a Houston accident and received medical treatment, take our free 2-minute assessment. You will answer a few quick questions about your accident and injuries, and we will give you a personalized report that includes Texas's filing deadline for your specific claim, how your medical treatment affects the value of your case, and whether connecting with a personal injury attorney makes sense for your situation.

Medical bills add up fast after an accident. Our assessment is free, confidential, and gives you the information you need to make an informed decision about what comes next.