Find a car accident lawyer in McAllen: your report, your deadlines and your next steps

Last checked November 8, 2026

After a car wreck in McAllen, a police report costs $6, or $8 certified. Buy it through TxDOT or check with Crime Records at (956) 681-2080.123 Texas drivers must carry at least $30,000 per person.4 You generally have 2 years to sue.5 Over 50 percent at fault, you cannot recover.6

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Road map of McAllen highlighting Nolana Avenue, which had 607 total crashes along one stretch from 2018 to 2023
A McAllen police crash report costs $6, or $8 certified. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Who writes the report after a car wreck in McAllen?

It depends on the road. McAllen Police handled 2,630 crashes in 2025, so most wrecks inside the city end up in its files.7 The agency that came to your crash is the one whose name goes on the report.

Where it happenedWho usually respondsHow to get the report
City street in McAllenMcAllen PoliceBuy it through TxDOT,1 or go to Crime Records, 1601 N. Bicentennial Blvd.8
Rural state highwayTexas Highway Patrol9TxDOT holds the record and emails it after you buy it.1011
County road outside city limitsHidalgo County Sheriff, (956) 383-811412Ask the Sheriff's Office in Edinburg how to request it

Call (956) 681-2080 before you drive to Crime Records. Staff can tell you if the report is ready.3 One city page says the office closes at 5 p.m.13 and another says 6 p.m.14 Any person involved in the crash, or that person's authorized representative, can ask for a copy.15 Texas keeps these records for 10 years, so you can still get one later.16

How many car crashes happen in McAllen each year?

TxDOT counted 2,798 crashes in McAllen in 2025. Thirteen people were killed and 56 had suspected serious injuries.17 People inside a car usually fare better than people on a motorcycle or on foot. From 2018 to 2023, 1% of people in motor vehicle crashes on city streets were killed or seriously hurt.18 That still comes to 218 people.18

Three causes stand out when a claim comes down to who did what:

  • Speed. Failure to control speed was a factor in 36% of all crashes on city streets.19 In 2025, Hidalgo County had 4,986 speed-involved crashes.20
  • Phones and other distractions. The county had 1,330 distracted driver crashes in 2025.21
  • Alcohol. McAllen had 137 alcohol-related crashes in 2025, and 4 people died in them.22

Which McAllen streets have the most car crashes?

The city's Vision Zero plan looked at surface streets and named the stretches it wants to fix first. Nolana Ave from N 25th Ln to N Main St had 607 total crashes.23 The 23rd St corridor from Maple Ave to Galveston Ave had 209 crashes, and 10 of them were fatal or serious.24 The North 2nd St corridor had 104 crashes, also with 10 fatal or serious.25

The top-scored intersections are Pecan Blvd at N 21st St, Nolana Ave at N 10th St, Hwy 83 at 16th St, and Cedar Ave at N Bicentennial Blvd.26 If your wreck happened at one of these, tell your lawyer. A known trouble spot does not prove who was at fault, but it can point to signal timing, sight lines or other details worth checking.

Most serious crashes happened on streets posted at 30 to 45 mph.27 The busiest hours for them were 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.28

What should you do after a car accident in McAllen that was not your fault?

  1. Call 911 if anyone is hurt. For a crash with no injuries, the McAllen Police non-emergency line is (956) 681-2000.29 Texas law says a crash that hurts someone, or leaves a car unsafe to drive, must be reported right away.30
  2. Get the officer's name and the case number. You will need that number if you later file a claim with the city.31
  3. Take photos of both cars, the street, the signals and any skid marks. Write down the other driver's plate and insurer.
  4. See a doctor, even if you feel fine at first. South Texas Health System McAllen and DHR Health in Edinburg are both Level I trauma centers.3233 DHR's records office is at 956-362-3448.34
  5. Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer until you know how badly you are hurt.

I was rear-ended in McAllen. Who pays for it?

Usually the at-fault driver's insurer, up to the policy limit. In Texas that minimum is $30,000 per person, $60,000 per crash for injuries, and $25,000 for property.4 A serious injury can cost more than that, so check your own policy too. Texas auto policies include uninsured motorist coverage unless a named insured turned it down in writing.35

Being hit from behind does not end the fault question. Insurers may say you stopped short or had a broken brake light. You can still recover if your share of the blame is 50 percent or less.6 A jury can hear that you were not wearing a seat belt, but only if the defense shows it caused or worsened your injuries.36

What if a City of McAllen vehicle or a Metro bus hit my car?

Move quickly. State law gives a Texas city notice of a claim within six months, and a city's own rules can set less time.37 We could not confirm a shorter McAllen rule, so ask the city what deadline applies to you, and file well before six months.

McAllen takes personal injury claims online,38 and there is a Spanish version called Aviso de Reclamo.39 Metro McAllen is a city department, so a bus crash goes through the same office.40 Risk Management is at City Hall, 1300 Houston Ave., 1st Floor, (956) 681-1410.41

When should you talk to a car accident lawyer in McAllen?

  • You were admitted to a hospital or missed weeks of work.
  • The insurer blames you, or offers money before you finish treatment.
  • A commercial vehicle, city vehicle or bus was involved.
  • The other driver has no insurance or too little.

For a small property or injury claim, Texas justice courts hear cases up to $20,000.42 Ask any lawyer how they are paid, who will work on your case, and whether staff can speak with you in Spanish if you need that.

Questions

How much is a car accident report in McAllen?

$6 for a regular copy and $8 for a certified copy.2

How long do I have to sue after a car wreck in McAllen?

Generally 2 years.5 If the city was involved, notice is due much sooner, within six months at most.37

Can I get money if I was partly at fault in McAllen?

Yes, if your share is 50 percent or less. Your amount is affected by your share.6

Where is the police records office in McAllen?

Crime Records is at 1601 N. Bicentennial Blvd.8 Call (956) 681-2080 first.3

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McAllen

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Sources

  1. McAllen Police Department, Police Records, checked 2026-11-08. “Our crash reports are uploaded to this system.”
  2. McAllen Police Department, FAQ, checked 2026-11-08. “All accident reports are $6.00 dollars and certified copies of accident reports are $8.00 dollars.”
  3. McAllen Police Department, FAQ, checked 2026-11-08. “inquiry on the status of your report at (956) 681-2080”
  4. Tex. Transp. Code § 601.072(a-1), checked 2026-11-08. “(1) $30,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person in one collision; (2) $60,000 for bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in one collision, subject to the amount provided by Subdivision (1) for bodily injury to or death of one of the persons; and (3) $25,000 for damage to or destruction of property of others in one collision.”
  5. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
  6. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-08. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent.”
  7. TxDOT, 2025 Crashes and Injuries by Investigating Agency, checked 2026-11-08. “MCALLEN PD 10 12 40 55 620 905 866 1,614 1,032 4,916 62 241 2,630”
  8. McAllen Police Department, Crime Records Bureau, checked 2026-11-08. “The Crime Records Unit is located at 1601 N. Bicentennial Blvd”
  9. Texas DPS, Highway Patrol Service, checked 2026-11-08. “responsible for general police traffic supervision, traffic, and criminal law enforcement on the rural highways of Texas”
  10. TxDOT, Crash reports and records, checked 2026-11-08. “TxDOT is the custodian of crash records for the state of Texas”
  11. TxDOT, Crash reports and records, checked 2026-11-08. “receive their report(s) via email following the purchase”
  12. Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, checked 2026-11-08. “711 El Cibolo Rd.”
  13. McAllen Police Department, Crime Records Bureau, checked 2026-11-08. “The hours of operation are 8:00am – 5:00pm (Monday – Friday)”
  14. McAllen Police Department, FAQ, checked 2026-11-08. “is open from 8am – 6pm, Monday – Friday”
  15. TxDOT, Crash reports and records, checked 2026-11-08. “to any person directly concerned in the accident or having proper interest therein”
  16. McAllen Police Department, Police Records, checked 2026-11-08. “The state retention schedule for crash reports and data is 10 years.”
  17. TxDOT, 2025 Crashes and Injuries Cities and Towns, checked 2026-11-08. “MCALLEN 11 13 40 56 633 915 885 1,649 1,167 5,414 62 254 2,798”
  18. City of McAllen, Vision Zero Action Plan (August 2024), checked 2026-11-08. “Motor Vehicle 38,327 218 1%”
  19. City of McAllen, Vision Zero Action Plan (August 2024), checked 2026-11-08. “Failure to Control Speed was reported as a contributing factor in 29% of FSI crashes and 36% of all crashes.”
  20. TxDOT, 2025 Speed Involved Crashes and Injuries by County, checked 2026-11-08. “Hidalgo 25 26 86 117 634 944 1,215 2,224 2,930 11,245 96 499 4,986”
  21. TxDOT, 2025 Distracted Driver Crashes and Injuries by County, checked 2026-11-08. “Hidalgo 0 0 20 25 156 240 291 503 837 2,978 26 81 1,330”
  22. TxDOT, 2025 DUI (Alcohol) Crashes and Injuries Cities and Towns, checked 2026-11-08. “MCALLEN 4 4 9 20 25 37 34 67 64 170 1 8 137”
  23. City of McAllen, Vision Zero Action Plan (August 2024), checked 2026-11-08. “The Nolana Ave corridor had 607 total crashes and 6 FSI crashes”
  24. City of McAllen, Vision Zero Action Plan (August 2024), checked 2026-11-08. “The 23rd St corridor had 209 total crashes and 10 FSI crashes”
  25. City of McAllen, Vision Zero Action Plan (August 2024), checked 2026-11-08. “The North 2nd St corridor had 104 total crashes and 10 FSI crashes”
  26. City of McAllen, Vision Zero Action Plan (August 2024), checked 2026-11-08. “I1 Pecan Blvd & N 21st St 6 2 4 12 I2 Nolana Ave & N 10th St 5 3 4 12 I3 Hwy 83 & 16th St 6 2 4 12 I4 Cedar Ave & N Bicentennial Blvd 5 3 4 12”
  27. City of McAllen, Vision Zero Action Plan (August 2024), checked 2026-11-08. “83% of FSI crashes happened on streets with 30-45 MPH Speed Limits.”
  28. City of McAllen, Vision Zero Action Plan (August 2024), checked 2026-11-08. “36% of FSI crashes happened between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. Another 18% of FSI crashes happened between 12 a.m and 3 a.m.”
  29. City of McAllen Risk Management, Submit a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Non-Emergency Police: (956) 681-2000”
  30. Tex. Transp. Code § 550.026(a), checked 2026-11-08. “The operator of a vehicle involved in a collision resulting in injury to or death of a person or damage to a vehicle to the extent that it cannot be normally and safely driven shall immediately by the quickest means of communication give notice of the collision”
  31. City of McAllen Risk Management, Submit a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “INCLUDE A POLICE CASE NUMBER, IF KNOWN”
  32. South Texas Health System McAllen, Trauma Care, checked 2026-11-08. “South Texas Health System McAllen is an ACS-verified Level I Trauma Center”
  33. DHR Health, Level I Trauma Center, checked 2026-11-08. “The DHR Health Level 1 Trauma Center provides the highest level of trauma care available”
  34. DHR Health, Medical Records, checked 2026-11-08. “you can reach us at 956-362-3448”
  35. Tex. Ins. Code § 1952.101(b)-(c), checked 2026-11-08. “unless the insurer provides uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage in the policy or supplemental to the policy. (c) The coverage required by this subchapter does not apply if any insured named in the insurance policy rejects the coverage in writing.”
  36. Nabors Well Servs., Ltd. v. Romero, No. 13-0136 (Tex. Feb. 13, 2015), checked 2026-11-08. “Today we overrule it and hold that relevant evidence of use or nonuse of seat belts is admissible for the purpose of apportioning responsibility in civil lawsuits. [...] The defendant can establish the relevance of seat-belt nonuse only with evidence that nonuse caused or contributed to cause the plaintiff’s injuries.”
  37. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than six months after the day that the incident giving rise to the claim occurred”
  38. City of McAllen Risk Management, Submit a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Property Damage Personal Injury”
  39. City of McAllen Risk Management, Aviso de Reclamo, checked 2026-11-08. “Daños a la Propiedad .. Lesiones Personales”
  40. City of McAllen, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “McAllen Public Utility Metro McAllen Municipal Court”
  41. City of McAllen, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “1300 Houston Ave. City Hall - 1st Floor McAllen, TX 78501 (956)681-1410”
  42. Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, Part V, as posted by Hidalgo County, checked 2026-11-08. “A small claims case is a lawsuit brought for the recovery of money damages, civil penalties, personal property, or other relief allowed by law. The claim can be for no more than $20,000”

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