Decatur Auto Accident Attorneys

Decatur Car Accident Lawyers Fighting for Injury Victims in Wise County, TX

Auto accidents are all too common in Texas. The U.S. 380 and U.S. 287 interchange at Decatur is a common site for serious car wrecks in Wise County. As Wise County residents travel in and through Decatur for work, school, and other activities, they must use reasonable care to prevent roadway accidents. When reasonable care isn’t taken, serious injuries can result.

If you’ve been injured in a car crash in or near Decatur, Texas, speak to an experienced Wise County auto accident lawyer immediately. The team at Chandler Ross is here to help guide you on the next steps and fight for the compensation you deserve. 

Deadliest Roads in Decatur: US 380, US 81/287, and Farm Road 5

Traffic death rates have doubled in Wise County in just two years, jumping to 35 deaths in 2024. For several years, U.S. 81/287 has remained the county’s most dangerous roadway. In 2024, 81/287 was the site of ten crashes that claimed a total of 16 lives. 

Other deadly roads in Wise County include Farm Road 51, the site of five fatal crashes in 2024. Three of these fatal crashes occurred in Decatur, including one near Eagle Drive and another north of U.S. 380.

Wise County was also the site of 86 “suspected serious injuries” occurring in 60 separate collisions in 2024. Another 335 people experienced moderate or minor injuries in Wise County collisions. 

Four people died in crashes in Decatur in 2024. At least eight people suffered serious car accident injuries, and another 51 suffered moderate or minor injuries, according to TxDOT.

While TxDOT and local groups are pursuing safety measures on Decatur and Wise County roads, those using the roads must still take care to drive safely. If you’ve been injured in a crash, speak to an experienced attorney. 

Motorcycle, Bicycle & Pedestrian Accidents in Wise County

Motorcyclists also face significant risk on Texas roads. In 2024, over 2,500 Texas motorcyclists suffered suspected serious injuries in roadway crashes. This number includes 2,357 motorcycle drivers and 175 passengers. Motorcycle crashes also claim lives. In 2024, 585 motorcycle drivers and passengers died in roadway accidents, including 557 drivers and 28 passengers.

Walking and bicycling are popular forms of transportation for their low cost, environmental friendliness, and health benefits. Bicyclists and pedestrians share the right to use Texas roadways if they follow traffic laws, just as others do. Yet drivers who fail to watch out for bicyclists and pedestrians can cause fatal crashes and serious injuries. 

In 2024, 78 bicyclists and 768 pedestrians died on Texas roads. Serious injuries affected 1,880 pedestrians and bicyclists that year; another 3,863 experienced “suspected minor injuries.” TxDOT recorded an additional 2,105 pedestrians and bicyclists as being “possibly injured” in collisions.

In 97 percent of bicycle and pedestrian accidents, the bicyclist or pedestrian suffers some form of injury. Seeking compensation after a crash can help these injured people recover from the harm they suffer. 

Types of Serious Car Accidents in Decatur and How They Happen

Serious auto accidents can occur in several ways. The Texas Department of Transportation tracks information about fatal and serious injury-causing roadway accidents to better understand how these serious collisions occur. 

TxDOT data reveals that in 2024:

• Rural accidents were slightly more deadly than urban ones. Just over half (50.12 percent) of all roadway deaths in Texas in 2024 occurred in rural areas. These collisions claimed 2,080 lives in 2024.
• Intersections were a common site of fatal accidents and serious injuries. In 2024, 1,050 people died in collisions at Texas intersections. 
• Head-on crashes were especially deadly. Head-on crashes claimed 617 lives in 2024, the most of any single crash type.
• May and October saw the deadliest days on Texas roads. On May 24th and again on October 27, 27 people died in traffic collisions. Overall, October saw the highest number of traffic deaths, with 391 lives lost. 
• Drunk driving remains a serious and deadly problem. In 2023, 1,053 people died in a drunk driving-related vehicle crash, or over 25 percent of everyone killed in a Texas car crash that year. 
• Distracted driving claims lives as well. In 2024, 380 people died in a crash involving a distracted driver. 

Other situations can also result in a serious collision. Speak to an experienced Decatur auto accident lawyer to learn more. 

How To File an Auto Injury Claim in Texas: What Decatur Drivers Need to Know

Every injury claim is based on unique facts. Your claim will not proceed exactly like anyone else’s. However, all injury claims follow basic rules. When you know a bit about these rules, you can ask more informed questions about your own case and better understand your attorney’s responses. 

Proving Negligence

A personal injury claim seeks to prove that someone else’s negligence caused injuries and that person is responsible for compensating you for the harm caused. An auto accident claim typically asks four questions:

• Did another party have a duty to use reasonable care?
• Did the other party “breach” or fail to meet that duty?
• Did the breach cause injuries?
• Can the injuries be compensated with money damages?

In Texas, everyone who uses public roads has a duty to use reasonable care to prevent injuries. This duty is broad. It includes tasks like following traffic laws, paying attention to the road, and driving sober. 

Establishing negligence can be challenging. In many car accident claims, the other party may argue that you were partly or totally at fault for your injuries. An experienced Wise County auto accident attorney can help you fight for the compensation you need. 

Time Limits

Texas requires personal injury claims to be filed within two years. Cases not filed within two years are typically dismissed from court. 

The two year period usually begins on the date of the accident. Since some exceptions can apply, however, it’s important to work with a lawyer to calculate the exact filing deadline in your case.

Compensation

An auto accident case seeks compensation for the harm suffered in the crash. Compensation can cover financial losses like medical bills, lost wages, and car repairs. It can cover future losses like future medical bills or future lost wages if you cannot return to work. Compensation can also cover non-financial losses like pain and suffering, scarring or disfigurement, and the loss of hobbies or other activities you once enjoyed. 

Compensation varies from case to case. Your injuries are unique, and so is the life they interrupted. An attorney can help you calculate your losses and secure the compensation you need.

Auto Accidents Involving Drunk Drivers or Hit and Runs in Decatur

Some car accidents aren’t just accidents. They are also crimes. Driving under the influence of alcohol, for instance, is prohibited by Texas law. So is causing an injury and then fleeing the scene of the collision, also called a “hit and run.” 

If you were injured or a loved one was killed in a road-related crime, you can file a personal injury claim for compensation. You may do so even if a criminal case is already underway. Since criminal and injury claims can affect one another, talk to a Decatur personal injury lawyer. Your attorney will make sure your right to compensation is protected while the criminal case proceeds. Your attorney can also ensure that your compensation claim doesn’t hinder the criminal court from doing its work. 

Wrongful Death After a Decatur Car Accident: What Families Should Know

Deaths on Wise County roads are increasing, but across Texas, overall motor vehicle death rates dropped in 2024, according to TxDOT. However, death and serious injury rates remain high, taking a serious toll on Texas families. In 2024:

• 4,150 people died in Texas roadway accidents and
• 18,218 people suffered serious injuries in auto crashes. 

At least one person died in a Texas roadway accident every day in 2024.

A person injured in a car crash can file a personal injury claim. When a person dies, however, surviving family members may file the claim. These claims are called “wrongful death” claims. 

In practice, a wrongful death claim consists of two parts. The “survival action” seeks compensation for the deceased person’s final losses, like final medical bills or conscious pain and suffering before death. A “wrongful death” claim seeks compensation for the family’s losses of their deceased loved one. 

Speak With a Top-Rated Car Accident Lawyer in Decatur, TX Today

Life after a serious auto accident injury is tough. You’re struggling to recover from serious injuries. You may wonder how you’re going to pay the bills. You may worry about how you’ll recover or return to work, hobbies, and other activities. You may fear you won’t be able to support your family. Or you may grieve the terrible, sudden loss of a loved one, knowing your world will never be the same again. 

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. The experienced Decatur car accident lawyers at Chandler Ross can help. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a knowledgeable attorney.