Rhome Car Accident Lawyer

Get a Free Case Review

SERIOUS ATTORNEYS FOR SERIOUS INJURIES

Practice Areas

FREE CONSULTATION
five-stars-BBGgold

Chandler Ross is the best hands down! You can not go wrong with these attorneys!

— Tracy P.

Rhome sits at the crossroads of U.S. 81/287 and Texas 114 in Wise County, and those roads see some of the most dangerous traffic in North Texas. If you or someone you love was hurt in a crash near Rhome, on the way to Decatur, or anywhere along those busy corridors, you have legal rights worth protecting. Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys serves car accident victims throughout the Denton area and surrounding communities, including Rhome, and our team is ready to help you pursue the compensation you deserve.

Table of Contents

Why Rhome Roads Are So Dangerous for Drivers

The stretch of U.S. 81/287 running through and near Rhome is one of the deadliest corridors in Wise County. In 2024 alone, 26 traffic accidents on Wise County roads resulted in the deaths of 35 people. U.S. 81/287 was the Wise County road with the most fatalities, with the Texas Department of Public Safety reporting 10 separate fatal crashes that claimed 16 lives on that highway.

County commissioners passed a resolution urging the Texas Department of Transportation to address an “ongoing hazard” on U.S. 81/287. TxDOT announced plans to construct safety improvements on U.S. 81/287 at three crossovers south of Rhome, including a traffic light at a county road intersection. Those improvements take time, and in the meantime, drivers on those roads remain at serious risk.

Texas 114, which cuts through Rhome and connects to Fort Worth to the south and Decatur to the north, also carries heavy commercial traffic. Trucks heading to and from the DFW Metroplex use these routes daily. That mix of passenger vehicles, commercial trucks, and farm equipment on rural two-lane roads creates conditions where crashes happen fast and injuries are severe.

Failure to control speed stands as the overwhelming leading cause of Texas crashes, contributing to approximately 135,000 accidents in 2024. On open stretches of highway like those near Rhome, drivers often push speeds well above posted limits. When a crash happens at highway speed, the consequences can include traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, broken bones, and wrongful death, all of which require serious legal attention.

Texas Fault Laws and How They Apply to Your Rhome Car Accident Claim

Texas is an at-fault state. That means the driver who caused your crash is legally responsible for your losses. You do not have to rely on your own insurance to cover injuries caused by someone else’s negligence.

Texas follows a form of modified comparative negligence called the “51% bar rule,” codified in Chapter 33 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code under the doctrine of “Proportionate Responsibility.” Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 33.001, a claimant may recover damages only if their percentage of responsibility is 50 percent or less.

Here is why that matters for you. Say you were hit by a driver who ran a stop sign on FM 1655 near Rhome. The other driver’s insurance company may claim you were partly at fault because you were slightly over the speed limit. If they can push your share of fault above 50 percent, you recover nothing. When an injured party’s fault is 50% or less, their total recoverable damages are reduced by their percentage of responsibility. So if your damages total $150,000 and you are found 20 percent at fault, you recover $120,000.

Insurance companies heavily influence fault determination and comparative negligence application. Adjusters are trained to shift blame onto the injured party to reduce payouts. Having an attorney who understands this system and knows how to counter those tactics makes a real difference in what you ultimately recover.

Texas Transportation Code Section 601.072 requires drivers to carry minimum liability insurance, commonly called 30/60/25 coverage. That means $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. In serious crashes, those limits fall far short of actual medical costs, which is why identifying all available insurance coverage is a critical part of building your claim.

What Compensation You Can Recover After a Rhome Car Accident

Texas law recognizes two broad categories of damages in car accident cases: economic and non-economic. Economic damages cover losses with a clear dollar amount. Non-economic damages cover losses that are real but harder to quantify.

Economic damages include medical bills, future medical care, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity. If your injuries require surgery, physical therapy, or long-term treatment, those costs add up quickly. A serious crash on U.S. 81/287 can leave you unable to work for months, or permanently. Every dollar of that lost income is recoverable.

Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. Texas does not cap these damages in most car accident cases. That means if your injuries have permanently changed how you live your life, the law allows you to seek full compensation for that harm.

In cases involving gross negligence, such as a drunk driving crash, Texas law may allow for exemplary damages. Under the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 71, families who lose a loved one in a fatal crash may also pursue wrongful death claims for loss of financial support, companionship, and the mental anguish of bereavement.

According to Texas Department of Transportation crash data, over 16,000 crashes in 2024 involved driving under the influence of alcohol, resulting in more than 500 fatalities. Drunk driving crashes near Rhome or on U.S. 81/287 fall into this category, and those cases often support claims for additional damages beyond standard compensation.

Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys works on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Past results in any case do not guarantee the same outcome in yours, because every accident involves different facts, different injuries, and different insurance coverage. What we can promise is that we will work hard to pursue every dollar you are entitled to under Texas law.

Critical Steps to Take After a Car Accident Near Rhome, Texas

What you do in the hours and days after a crash directly affects your ability to recover compensation. These steps protect both your health and your legal claim.

Call 911 immediately. Under Texas Transportation Code Section 550.026, you must report a crash if it causes injury, death, or property damage of $1,000 or more. A police report from the Wise County Sheriff’s Office or Texas DPS creates an official record of what happened. That report becomes one of the most important pieces of evidence in your case.

Seek medical care right away, even if you feel fine. Adrenaline masks pain. Injuries like traumatic brain injuries, internal bleeding, and spinal damage may not show clear symptoms for hours or days. A same-day medical evaluation creates a direct link between the crash and your injuries, which insurance companies will otherwise try to dispute.

Document the scene if you can do so safely. Photos of vehicle damage, road conditions, skid marks, and the intersection where the crash occurred all support your claim. If the crash happened near the Rhome city limits, near the intersection of U.S. 81/287 and Texas 114, or anywhere along Farm Road 1655, note the exact location. These details matter when reconstructing how the crash happened.

Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company without speaking to an attorney first. Adjusters use recorded statements to find inconsistencies that can be used to reduce your payout. A single offhand comment about feeling “okay” can be used against you later.

Contact Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys as soon as possible. Early involvement allows us to preserve evidence, identify witnesses, and begin building your case before critical details disappear. Call us at (940) 800-2500 for a free consultation.

The Filing Deadline for Car Accident Lawsuits in Texas

Missing the filing deadline in a Texas car accident case means losing your right to compensation permanently. This is not a technicality that courts overlook. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003, a person must bring suit for personal injury not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues.

The clock starts on the day of the crash. If you were hurt in a collision on U.S. 81/287 near Rhome today, you have two years from that date to file a lawsuit in Texas court. If you do not file your lawsuit during the statute of limitations period, you will likely not be able to pursue your claim in court because the statute of limitations has expired.

There are limited exceptions. If the injured person is under 18 at the time of the accident, the two-year clock generally does not start running until their 18th birthday. Claims against Texas government entities, such as TxDOT or county agencies, require a formal notice of claim within six months of the incident under the Texas Tort Claims Act. That is a much shorter window, and missing it can eliminate your ability to hold a government entity responsible for a dangerous road condition.

Two years sounds like plenty of time, but car accident cases require thorough investigation. Accident reconstruction, medical records, witness interviews, and expert analysis all take time to compile. Even if you have time remaining, evidence degrades fast. Surveillance footage gets overwritten, and witnesses forget or move away. Waiting too long puts your case at a serious disadvantage.

The personal injury lawyers at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys are familiar with Wise County courts, the Denton County courthouse, and the local roads where these crashes happen. We handle the legal process so you can focus on recovering. Call us at (940) 800-2500 to get started today.

FAQs About Rhome Car Accident Lawyers

How much does it cost to hire a car accident lawyer in Rhome, Texas?

Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys handles car accident cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay no attorney fees upfront and no fees at all unless we recover compensation for you. The fee comes as a percentage of the settlement or verdict, so you can get experienced legal help without worrying about out-of-pocket costs while you are recovering from your injuries.

What if the other driver had no insurance after my Rhome crash?

Texas law requires drivers to carry minimum liability insurance under Transportation Code Section 601.072, but not everyone follows that rule. If the at-fault driver was uninsured, you may be able to make a claim under your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage if you carry it. Your attorney can also investigate whether other parties, such as a vehicle owner who is different from the driver, share liability for the crash. Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys can review all available coverage options during a free consultation.

Can I still recover compensation if I was partly at fault for the accident?

Yes, as long as your share of fault does not exceed 50 percent. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 33.001, the proportionate responsibility rule allows you to recover damages reduced by your own percentage of fault. For example, if you are found 25 percent at fault and your total damages are $100,000, you can still recover $75,000. However, if your fault exceeds 50 percent, Texas law bars you from recovering anything, which is why it is important to have an attorney who can challenge any unfair fault assignments made by the other driver’s insurance company.

How long does a car accident case in Wise County typically take to resolve?

The timeline varies depending on the severity of your injuries, the clarity of fault, and whether the insurance company offers a fair settlement or forces litigation. Straightforward cases with clear liability and defined injuries may settle in a few months. Cases involving catastrophic injuries, disputed fault, or multiple parties can take a year or more. Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys will give you an honest assessment of your case’s likely timeline during your free consultation, and we will keep you informed at every stage of the process.

What should I do if the insurance company contacts me right after my Rhome car accident?

Do not give a recorded statement or accept any settlement offer before speaking with an attorney. Insurance adjusters may contact you quickly, sometimes within hours of a crash, hoping to settle your claim cheaply before you understand the full extent of your injuries or your legal rights. Any statement you make can be used to reduce your payout. Call Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500 before you speak with any insurance representative. The consultation is free, and having an attorney handle communications from the start protects the full value of your claim.

Content prepared by Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys, principal office located in Denton, Texas. Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys is a Texas law firm. Past results in prior cases do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any future case. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own facts and applicable law. This page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

More Resources for Rhome, TX