A crash is frightening for anyone, but when you are pregnant, your first thought is usually your baby. Even a collision that seems minor can leave you worried about what you cannot see. If another driver caused the wreck, a car accident lawyer can handle the insurance company while you focus on your health and your pregnancy.
Pregnancy does not weaken your right to compensation. In many ways, it can increase what is at stake, because a claim may need to account for prenatal monitoring, complications, and in tragic cases, the loss of a pregnancy. It can also make the claim more complicated, since insurers sometimes try to blame pregnancy complications on something other than the crash.
This article explains how pregnancy can affect an injury claim in Texas, what to do after an accident, and what the law says about harm to an unborn child. It is general information, not medical or legal advice. Always follow the guidance of your own doctor.
.png)
If you are pregnant and involved in a car accident, contact your obstetrician or go to the emergency room right away, even if you feel fine. Some pregnancy complications do not cause obvious symptoms at first, and only a medical provider can evaluate you and your baby.
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury during pregnancy. A clinical review published by the National Library of Medicine notes that trauma occurs in about 8 percent of pregnancies and that car crashes account for roughly half of those injuries. The American Academy of Family Physicians reports that after trauma, pregnant patients are often monitored for at least four hours. Your doctor will decide what testing and monitoring is right for you.
Seeking care quickly protects your health first. It also creates a medical record that connects any problems to the crash, which matters if you later need to file a claim.
Pregnancy changes a claim in several ways. Some increase the value of your damages, and others give the insurance company new arguments to push back on.
After a crash, pregnant patients may need extra ultrasounds, fetal monitoring, specialist visits, or hospital observation. Treatment for your own injuries may also look different, since providers often adjust imaging and medications during pregnancy. These costs are part of your economic damages and should be documented carefully.
Medical literature links serious crashes to complications such as placental abruption, preterm labor, and other risks to the pregnancy. If a doctor connects a complication to the accident, the related medical costs, lost income, and emotional distress may be part of your claim. Your medical team is the right source of information about your specific risks.
Fear for your baby's safety is real and can last for months, through delivery and beyond. Texas law allows recovery for mental anguish as part of noneconomic damages. Notes from your providers and a personal journal can help show how the crash affected you.
Insurers may argue that a complication was caused by a preexisting condition or would have happened anyway. Complete prenatal records from before and after the crash, along with your doctor's opinion, are often the best response. This is one reason early medical evaluation matters so much.
An injury during pregnancy can mean bed rest, extra appointments, or leaving work earlier than planned. Lost wages connected to the crash may be recoverable, including income lost because of crash-related restrictions ordered by your doctor.
Texas law specifically addresses harm to an unborn child. Under the Texas Wrongful Death Act, Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 71.001 defines an individual to include an unborn child at every stage of gestation from fertilization until birth, and defines death to include an unborn child's failure to be born alive. This means parents may be able to bring a wrongful death claim when another party's negligence causes the loss of a pregnancy.
The law includes exceptions. A wrongful death claim for an unborn child cannot be brought against the mother, and certain claims against physicians and licensed health care providers related to lawful medical care are excluded. These rules can be complex, and an attorney can explain how they apply to your situation.
If a child is born alive with injuries caused by the crash, a claim may be brought on the child's behalf for those injuries. Severe injuries to mother or child may also qualify as catastrophic injuries with long-term care needs.
Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule. You cannot recover damages if you are found more than 50 percent responsible, and any award is reduced by your share of fault. Texas courts allow evidence of seat belt use to be considered, so insurers may raise it.
Federal safety guidance from NHTSA advises pregnant occupants to always wear a seat belt, with the lap belt low across the hips and below the belly and the shoulder belt across the chest, away from the neck. Wearing a belt properly protects both you and your baby, and it can also help your claim.
Most Texas personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the accident, and wrongful death claims generally within two years of the death. Gathering medical records and evidence early helps protect your rights.
Pregnant drivers and passengers are injured in every type of crash, from rear-end collisions in Houston traffic to a truck accident on the highway. Whatever the circumstances, these steps can protect both your health and your claim:
1. Call 911 and seek emergency care or contact your obstetrician right away.
2. Tell every medical provider that you are pregnant and how far along you are.
3. Follow all instructions from your doctor and keep every appointment.
4. File a police report; our guide on filing a police report explains how.
5. Keep copies of bills, records, and notes about missed work.
6. Avoid recorded statements to the other driver's insurer until you have spoken with a lawyer.
It also helps to keep a simple record of how you are feeling, any new symptoms your doctor asked you to watch for, and each appointment you attend. Save photos of the vehicles and the scene, along with the names and phone numbers of witnesses. If your vehicle has a dash camera, preserve the footage. These details can be hard to recall months later, and they often make a real difference when an insurance adjuster questions what happened or how seriously you were hurt.
Our attorneys understand that pregnancy makes an injury claim more personal and more stressful. We gather the medical records, work with your providers' findings, and push back when insurers try to downplay what happened. With more than 50 attorneys, over 15 offices, and more than $500 million recovered for clients, we have the resources to stand up to large insurance companies.
We work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no legal fees unless we win. If you are on bed rest or in the hospital, we can come to you.
If you were hurt in a crash while pregnant, call The Daspit Law Firm at (888) 273-1045 for a free consultation, available 24/7. Please put your health and your baby's health first, and let us handle the rest. This article is for general information only and is not legal or medical advice.
Yes. Contact your obstetrician or go to the emergency room after any crash, even if you feel fine. Some pregnancy complications do not cause symptoms right away, and only a medical provider can evaluate you and your baby. Prompt care protects your health and creates a record linking any problems to the accident.
It can. Pregnancy may add costs such as extra monitoring, ultrasounds, and specialist care, and complications linked to the crash can increase both economic and noneconomic damages. Every claim depends on its facts, including the injuries, the medical evidence, and who was at fault, so no specific outcome can be promised.
Possibly. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 71.001 defines an individual to include an unborn child at every stage of gestation, so a wrongful death claim may be available when someone's negligence causes a pregnancy loss. Exceptions apply, including claims against the mother and certain lawful medical care.
Yes, insurers often argue that complications were caused by a preexisting condition or would have occurred anyway. Complete prenatal records from before and after the crash, along with your doctor's findings, help show what the accident caused. Seeing a doctor promptly after the crash makes this connection easier to prove.
Most Texas personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the accident under Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003. Wrongful death claims generally must be filed within two years of the death. Speaking with a lawyer early helps preserve medical records and evidence while they are still available.
All too often, accident victims are steamrolled by insurance companies determined to minimize or deny their claims. Don't let this happen to you. Hire us to fight for the compensation you deserve.
At The Daspit Law Firm, Our Team of Attorneys Handles the Full Range of Personal Injury Cases, Including Car and Truck Accidents, Industrial Accidents, Construction Accidents, Maritime & Offshore Accidents, and Much More.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
© 2026 All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy, Accessibility, Legal Disclaimer
.png)
.webp)
