Hit-and-Run Accident in San Antonio: What to Do and How to Recover

Call 911 as soon as it is safe to do so. Tell the dispatcher you were involved in a hit-and-run and provide your location. If anyone is injured, request EMS. San Antonio Police Department will respond and create a crash report — this report is essential for your insurance claim and any future civil or criminal case against the fleeing driver.

While waiting for police, write down everything you remember about the other vehicle: color, make, model, license plate number (even a partial plate is valuable), number of occupants, direction of travel, and any distinguishing features like bumper stickers, body damage, or aftermarket modifications. Your memory is freshest in the minutes immediately after the crash.

If you are not in an emergency, you can also report a hit-and-run to SAPD's non-emergency line at (210) 207-7273. However, for any crash involving injury, always call 911 first. Under Tex. Trans. Code 550.021, the driver who fled committed a crime — your report starts the investigation.

Photograph everything: damage to your vehicle, debris from the other vehicle (which can help identify the make and model), skid marks, paint transfer, road conditions, and your injuries. If the fleeing vehicle left parts behind — a mirror, bumper piece, or headlight lens — do not move them. Photograph them where they landed and tell the responding officer.

Look for witnesses immediately. Other drivers, pedestrians, nearby residents, and business employees may have seen the crash or the fleeing vehicle. Get their names and phone numbers. Witnesses who saw the vehicle flee, got a license plate, or can describe the driver are extremely valuable. In San Antonio, heavy traffic on Loop 410, I-35, and US-281 means other drivers often witness hit-and-runs.

Check for surveillance cameras. This is time-sensitive — most commercial security systems overwrite footage within 30 to 72 hours. Walk into nearby businesses (gas stations, convenience stores, restaurants, banks) and ask if their cameras cover the roadway. Note the business name and camera locations. Tell the responding officer so they can request footage preservation. TxDOT traffic cameras on major highways may also capture footage.

See a doctor within 24 hours, even if you feel fine at the scene. Crash injuries — whiplash, concussions, internal bleeding — often have delayed symptoms. The adrenaline from a hit-and-run can mask pain for hours. If your injuries are serious, University Hospital is San Antonio's only civilian Level I trauma center. For less severe injuries, visit urgent care or your primary physician.

Medical records create a documented link between the crash and your injuries. If you wait days or weeks to seek treatment, the insurance company will argue your injuries are either unrelated to the crash or not as serious as you claim. Consistent, prompt medical documentation is the foundation of your injury claim.

Keep every medical bill, receipt, and record. Your UM insurer will need documentation of your treatment to process your claim. If you need ongoing care — physical therapy, pain management, follow-up appointments — keep records of every visit.

In Texas, a hit-and-run crash is treated the same as an uninsured driver crash for purposes of your uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. When the at-fault driver cannot be identified, your UM coverage steps in to pay for your injuries and damages. This is the primary financial recovery path for most hit-and-run victims.

Check your auto insurance policy declarations page for UM coverage and note your limits. Texas insurers must offer UM/UIM coverage with every policy. If you never signed a written rejection, UM coverage may be included automatically at the state minimum limits. Contact your insurer to open a UM claim, and provide the police report number.

Your own insurer will handle the claim, but remember — they have a financial incentive to pay as little as possible. Document everything thoroughly. Do not give a recorded statement without understanding your rights. Do not accept a quick lowball settlement before you know the full extent of your injuries. Texas courts hold UM insurers to a duty of good faith and fair dealing.

San Antonio Police investigate hit-and-runs, and many drivers are identified. Partial license plates, vehicle descriptions, and surveillance footage are the most common ways fleeing drivers are found. SAPD's Traffic Investigation Detail handles serious hit-and-run crashes. You can also check with the Bexar County Crime Stoppers (210) 224-7867 to see if tips have come in.

If you have a partial license plate, SAPD can search the Texas DMV database for matching vehicles. Even two or three characters of a plate, combined with the vehicle color and make, can narrow the field significantly. Debris from the other vehicle — headlight housings, mirror assemblies, bumper trim — can be matched to specific makes and models.

Social media can help. Post about the crash (without making accusations) and ask if anyone saw it. San Antonio community Facebook groups and Nextdoor often share hit-and-run alerts. If you have dashcam footage of the fleeing vehicle, share it with police and (with their approval) on social media.

If SAPD identifies the hit-and-run driver, you gain an additional path to recovery: a civil lawsuit against that driver. This is separate from any criminal charges they face. Fleeing the scene does not eliminate the driver's civil liability — it typically makes a jury less sympathetic to their position.

Texas proportionate responsibility rules apply (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 33.001). If the driver who fled is found to be at fault, you can recover damages reduced by any fault attributed to you — as long as your fault is less than 51%. The fact that the driver fled is not proof of fault in the collision itself, but it is powerful circumstantial evidence.

You may be able to recover exemplary (punitive) damages if the driver's conduct was especially egregious — for example, if they were intoxicated and fled to avoid a DUI arrest. Under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 41.003, exemplary damages require clear and convincing evidence of fraud, malice, or gross negligence.

Texas has a 2-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003). This applies to your lawsuit against the hit-and-run driver (if identified) and to any dispute with your UM insurer. The clock starts on the date of the crash.

But evidence has a much shorter shelf life. Surveillance footage is overwritten within days. Witness memories fade within weeks. Physical evidence at the scene is cleaned up or deteriorates. Act immediately to preserve evidence — the legal deadline may be 2 years, but the practical deadline for building a strong case is measured in days and weeks.

For claims against government entities — if the hit-and-run driver was operating a government vehicle — you must file a notice of claim within 6 months under the Texas Tort Claims Act.

Were you the victim of a hit-and-run in San Antonio? Take our free 2-minute assessment at /assessment/. We will help you understand your UM coverage options, the strength of your claim, and whether connecting with a San Antonio personal injury attorney makes sense.

A hit-and-run is a crime committed against you. You did not cause this, and you should not have to bear the financial burden alone. Between your UM coverage and the potential to identify the driver, there are paths to compensation. Start with the assessment — it is free and confidential.