Rhome Drunk Driving Accident Attorney

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A drunk driving crash can change everything in seconds. If you or someone you love was hit by an impaired driver near Rhome, Texas, you have the right to pursue full compensation for your injuries, medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The personal injury lawyers at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys serve Rhome and the surrounding Wise County communities, and we are ready to fight for you. Call us today at (940) 800-2500 for a free consultation.

Table of Contents

Why Drunk Driving Crashes in Rhome Are Especially Dangerous

Rhome sits at the intersection of Highway 287 and Highway 114 in south Wise County, making it a natural crossroads for commuters, commercial trucks, and travelers heading to and from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The city is located approximately 25 miles from downtown Fort Worth and 45 miles from downtown Dallas, which means US 287 and Highway 114 carry heavy traffic at all hours of the day and night.

Data from the Texas Department of Transportation’s Crash Records Information System shows that 5,881 crashes occurred in Wise County between 2020 and 2024, and most fatal crashes happened along U.S. 287. That corridor runs directly through Rhome’s core. When a drunk driver gets behind the wheel on that stretch of highway, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Every day, about 34 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes, which works out to one person every 42 minutes. Texas consistently ranks among the worst states for alcohol-related traffic deaths. Of the 40,901 traffic fatalities nationwide in 2023, an estimated 12,429 people (30%) were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes, and the highest percentage was in Hawaii (42%), followed by Texas (40%).

Rhome’s proximity to Texas Motor Speedway, just 12 miles east on Highway 114, also means that after major race events, impaired drivers are on those same roads. Combine that with the high-speed nature of US 287 and limited lighting on rural stretches near Veteran’s Memorial Park and the surrounding farmland, and you have a recipe for serious crashes. If you were hurt on these roads by a drunk driver, Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys wants to hear your story.

Texas DWI Laws That Support Your Injury Claim

Texas law treats drunk driving as a serious criminal offense, and that criminal conduct directly supports your civil injury claim. Under Texas Penal Code Section 49.04, a person commits driving while intoxicated (DWI) when they operate a motor vehicle in a public place while impaired by alcohol or drugs. The legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit is 0.08 grams per deciliter.

The criminal penalties escalate with the severity of the offense. A standard first-offense DWI is a Class B misdemeanor. If the driver had a BAC of 0.15 or higher at the time of testing, the offense rises to a Class A misdemeanor under Section 49.04(d). A driver operating in a school crossing zone near Prairie View Elementary or Chisholm Creek Middle School while intoxicated faces a state jail felony under that same statute.

Under Texas Penal Code Section 49.045, driving while intoxicated with a child passenger under the age of 15 is automatically a state jail felony. This matters in civil cases because a felony conviction strengthens your claim that the driver acted with gross negligence, which can support a request for exemplary (punitive) damages under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 41.003.

Texas Penal Code Section 49.08 covers intoxication manslaughter, which applies when a drunk driver causes the death of another person. If you lost a family member in a Rhome drunk driving crash, this statute is directly relevant to a wrongful death claim. A criminal conviction is powerful evidence in your civil case, but you do not need to wait for a criminal verdict to pursue compensation. The civil and criminal processes run separately under Texas law.

Drivers with a BAC of .08 are approximately 4 times more likely to crash than drivers with a BAC of zero, and at a BAC of .15, drivers are at least 12 times more likely to crash. These are the kinds of facts that help establish liability in a Texas personal injury case.

What Damages Can You Recover After a Rhome Drunk Driving Accident?

Texas law allows injured victims of drunk driving crashes to pursue two main categories of damages: compensatory damages and, in certain cases, exemplary damages. Compensatory damages are designed to make you whole after a crash. They cover both economic and non-economic losses.

Economic damages include your medical expenses from the emergency room visit, surgery, physical therapy, and any ongoing care you need. They also cover lost wages if your injuries kept you from working, and loss of future earning capacity if you cannot return to the same job. Property damage to your vehicle is also recoverable.

Non-economic damages cover the losses that do not come with a receipt. Pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and disfigurement all fall into this category. Serious drunk driving crashes often cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, severe burns, and broken bones. Injuries like these carry long-term consequences that go far beyond a hospital bill.

Exemplary damages, sometimes called punitive damages, are available in Texas when the defendant acted with gross negligence or malice. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 41.003(a)(3), a plaintiff must prove by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant acted with conscious indifference to the rights, safety, or welfare of others. A driver who got behind the wheel with a BAC of 0.15 or higher, or who was a repeat DWI offender, may meet that standard. Texas law caps exemplary damages at the greater of $200,000 or two times the amount of economic damages plus up to $750,000 in non-economic damages.

Every case is different. Past results in other matters do not guarantee the same outcome in your case. What we can tell you is that Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys will work to identify every available source of compensation for your specific situation. Call (940) 800-2500 to talk through the details with our team.

How a Rhome Drunk Driving Accident Attorney Builds Your Case

Building a strong drunk driving injury case requires acting quickly. Evidence disappears fast. Surveillance footage from businesses along US 287 gets overwritten. Witness memories fade. The driver’s blood alcohol records from the arrest are time-sensitive. An attorney who knows how to move fast can make a real difference in the outcome of your claim.

The first step is preserving evidence. This includes the police report, the DWI arrest records, any blood or breath test results, and the accident scene documentation. If the driver had a BAC of 0.15 or higher, those test results become a cornerstone of your case. Texas Penal Code Section 49.04(d) treats that level of intoxication as an aggravated offense, and that fact carries weight with insurance adjusters and juries alike.

Witness statements matter too. Stretches of U.S. 287 south of Rhome are among the county’s most traffic-heavy areas, which means there are often other drivers nearby who saw what happened. Tracking those witnesses down early is critical.

Your attorney will also investigate whether any third parties share liability. Texas’s Dram Shop Act, codified in Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Chapter 2, allows injured victims to pursue claims against bars, restaurants, or other alcohol providers who sold or served alcohol to someone who was obviously intoxicated and who later caused a crash. If the drunk driver left a bar near the Decatur town square or a restaurant along Highway 114 before hitting your vehicle, that business may share responsibility for your injuries.

Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys handles the investigation, the insurance negotiations, and, if needed, the litigation. You focus on recovering. We handle the legal work.

Why Rhome Residents Trust Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys

Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys is based in Denton, Texas, and serves clients throughout Wise County, including Rhome, Decatur, Boyd, Newark, and the surrounding communities. Our firm handles car accident and personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.

We understand the roads in this area. We know US 287, Highway 114, and the rural farm-to-market roads that connect Rhome to the rest of Wise County. We know that crashes near the Texas Motor Speedway corridor, along the stretch toward Lake Bridgeport, or on the high-speed sections of US 287 near Rhome can be devastating. We also know how to handle the insurance companies that represent drunk drivers, and we do not back down when they try to minimize your claim.

Drunk driving cases often involve multiple liable parties, complex insurance coverage issues, and aggressive defense tactics. The at-fault driver’s insurer may try to argue your injuries were pre-existing or that you share some fault for the crash. Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 33.001, which means you can still recover damages as long as you are not more than 50 percent at fault. We know how to counter these arguments and protect your right to full compensation.

If your loved one was killed by a drunk driver near Rhome, we also handle wrongful death claims under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 71.002. Surviving spouses, children, and parents may be entitled to compensation for their loss. Time limits apply under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003, which generally gives you two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. Do not wait. Call Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500 today.

FAQs About Rhome Drunk Driving Accident Attorney

Do I need to wait for the criminal DWI case to finish before I can file a civil lawsuit?

No. Your civil personal injury claim is completely separate from the criminal DWI case against the driver. You can file your civil lawsuit at any time within the two-year statute of limitations under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003, regardless of where the criminal case stands. In fact, a criminal conviction can strengthen your civil case, but you do not need one to win compensation. An attorney can pursue both tracks simultaneously to protect your rights.

What if the drunk driver had no insurance or limited insurance coverage?

Texas law requires drivers to carry minimum liability insurance, but many drunk drivers are uninsured or underinsured. If the at-fault driver does not have enough coverage to pay for your injuries, your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may apply. Texas law also allows claims against third parties, such as bars or restaurants that served the driver under the Texas Dram Shop Act (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Chapter 2). An attorney can identify every available source of recovery in your specific case.

Can I recover punitive damages from a drunk driver in Texas?

Yes, in certain circumstances. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 41.003 allows exemplary damages when a defendant acted with gross negligence. A drunk driver who chose to get behind the wheel with a BAC well above the legal limit, or who was a repeat DWI offender, may meet that standard. Exemplary damages are capped under Texas law but can be significant in egregious cases. Whether they apply depends on the specific facts of your situation, which is why a case evaluation with an attorney matters.

What should I do immediately after being hit by a drunk driver near Rhome?

Call 911 immediately and stay at the scene. Request that officers conduct a sobriety test on the other driver if you believe they are impaired. Get the names and contact information of any witnesses. Take photos of the vehicles, the road, any skid marks, and your injuries. Seek medical attention right away, even if you feel okay, because some injuries like traumatic brain injuries or internal bleeding are not immediately obvious. Then contact Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500 as soon as possible so we can begin preserving evidence.

How long does a drunk driving injury case in Texas typically take to resolve?

The timeline varies depending on the complexity of the case, the severity of your injuries, and whether the case settles or goes to trial. Some cases resolve within several months through insurance negotiations. Others, particularly those involving serious injuries, disputes over liability, or Dram Shop Act claims against a business, may take one to two years or longer. Your attorney can give you a more specific estimate once they review the facts of your case. What matters most is that you act quickly, because evidence must be preserved early and the two-year filing deadline under Texas law does not pause while you wait.

Content prepared by Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys, whose principal office is located in Denton, Texas. Attorney responsible for this content: Chandler Ross. Results in prior cases do not guarantee the same outcome in future matters, as each case depends on its own facts and applicable law.

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