Everyone says "just get the police report and let insurance handle it," but actually that is how key evidence disappears.

The insurance company will tell you the CR-3 crash report and a few car photos are enough. They may also act like they can pull what they need later. In Fort Worth, that is not true. Dashcam footage can overwrite in hours or days. Store video gets deleted. Tow yards move cars. A burned or damaged phone gets replaced. If your old neck, back, or knee condition suddenly got much worse, the insurer will later call it "pre-existing" unless you document the change now.

Save this immediately:

• Wide and close photos/video of all vehicles, license plates, VIN stickers, damage, airbags, skid marks, debris, road layout, traffic lights, weather, and visible injuries
• Screenshots of call logs, texts, maps, rideshare trip data, and any app alerts before your phone updates or dies
• Witness names, numbers, and a quick recorded statement on your phone saying what they saw
• Dashcam files from every vehicle involved, copied to cloud storage
• Tow yard, body shop, and storage location so the vehicle can be inspected before repairs or salvage
• 911 incident number, EMS records, and if Fort Worth police responded, the report number for the Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report

If there was a fire risk, especially with an EV battery, also get the Fort Worth Fire Department incident number and photos of smoke, flames, extinguishing efforts, and where the vehicle was moved.

What is actually true is that you should also send preservation requests fast to the other driver, their insurer, nearby businesses, and any property owner with cameras. Some video is gone in 24 to 72 hours.

If your prior condition flared up, write a same-day symptom timeline: what you could do before, what changed after, pain level, numbness, missed work, and medication changes. Save every bill and Explanation of Benefits too. In Texas, if you were hospitalized, a hospital lien may be filed in Tarrant County, and those records matter when settlement money is already tight during tax season.