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Albuquerque Construction Accident Lawyer

Were you injured while working on a construction site in Albuquerque, NM? An experienced Albuquerque construction accident lawyer can help protect your rights under New Mexico workers’ compensation and personal injury laws. Our team at Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers is here to help you fight for fair compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and your personal suffering.

Our lawyers bring over 55 years of experience to the table. We’ve used our experience in personal injury law to help accident victims recover over $30 million—and counting.

Contact our law offices in Albuquerque, New Mexico at (505) 594-3621 to schedule your free consultation today. Our team is always available to discuss your case.

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Why Should I Trust Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers To Handle My Albuquerque Construction Accident Claim?

Construction workers risk their safety every day. If you work in the field, you know how dangerous a construction site can be. When you’re injured, you deserve to be compensated.

Fortunately, you’re entitled to workers’ compensation benefits–and you may even have the right to file a lawsuit for additional compensation. But to get the maximum compensation you deserve, it’s important to consult an experienced Albuquerque personal injury attorney.

At Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers, we have a 98% success rate when it comes to recovering financial compensation for our clients.

When you hire our top-rated attorneys, you’ll have an entire team to:

Investigate and gather evidence
Represent you during any disputes with the Workers’ Compensation Administration
Protect you if your employer contests your right to benefits
Defend you if your doctor wants you to return to work before you’re ready
Hire experts who can testify on your behalf
Negotiate with the insurance companies for the full compensation you deserve

If you have any questions about your legal rights and options, our Albuquerque personal injury attorneys are here to help. Give us a call for a free case review today.

How Common Are Construction Site Accidents in Albuquerque, NM?

Construction is an important industry in the state of New Mexico. According to data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), over 50,000 New Mexico workers are employed in construction jobs. Unfortunately, construction is also one of the most dangerous industries.

There were 53 fatal workplace injuries reported statewide in 2021. Nine of those work-related deaths happened in the construction industry. In other words, about 17% of all workplace fatalities in New Mexico were construction-related that year.

According to the New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Administration, construction ranked number two for the highest number of workers’ compensation claims in 2021.

Our Law Firm Handles All Types of Albuquerque Construction Injury Cases

At Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers, we’re well-prepared to handle your case regardless of how you were injured.

We often represent clients in cases involving:

Scaffolding accidents
Building collapse
Crane accidents, forklift accidents, and other heavy machinery accidents
Nail gun accidents
Exposure to toxic substances
Premises liability and dangerous property conditions
Excavation accidents
Welding accidents
Crushing accidents
Slip and fall accidents
Electrocution and electric shock
Roof and ladder falls
Fires and explosions
Trenching accidents
Trucking accidents
Motor vehicle accidents

If you were injured on a construction site, call our Albuquerque workers’ compensation attorneys today. We offer a free consultation so you can get the quality legal advice you need.

How Can I Recover Compensation After a Construction Accident in New Mexico?

Work-related injury claims are slightly different than a typical personal injury case. All injured construction workers can file a workers’ compensation claim. The benefits you receive are designed to help you cover the financial costs associated with the injury.

You lose the right to sue your employer for damages in most cases. You may still be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit for additional damages if a negligent third party caused your injuries.

For example, you may have a valid personal injury case if your injuries were caused by a:

Negligent driver in a motor vehicle accident
Manufacturer of a defective work tool
Property owner who didn’t maintain their property
Engineer or architect
General contractor or subcontractor who wasn’t your employer

It’s possible that you could have rights under both personal injury and workers’ compensation laws in New Mexico.

What Is My Albuquerque Construction Accident Case Worth?

It’s important to have some idea about your case value when you’re dealing with the insurance company. That includes the workers’ compensation insurance company.

The value of your workers’ comp benefits depends on:

Your average weekly wages before the accident (workers’ comp covers ⅔ of those wages)
The length of your recovery period
Whether your disability is total or partial
The type of injury you have suffered

Regardless of your prior earnings history, your workers’ compensation check is subject to a statewide cap of $987.16 per week in 2023.

If you’re entitled to file a personal injury claim, these factors are also relevant. However, different considerations are also important, including:

How the injury impacts your quality of life and lifestyle
The circumstances of the accident and whether you share any blame
Your emotional suffering and damage to your general health and wellbeing
Your physical pain and suffering

Our lawyers in Albuquerque can help you understand your case value before dealing with the insurance company.

What Types of Damages Can Albuquerque Construction Accident Victims Recover?

The damages that you can recover depend on the laws that apply in your case.

New Mexico workers’ compensation laws give injured workers the right to benefits for:

All reasonable and necessary medical expenses related to the injury
Temporary total disability benefits while you recover
Temporary partial disability benefits if you can perform light-duty work during recovery
Permanent partial disability benefits
Permanent total disability benefits
Scheduled injury benefits for loss of the use of a specific body part
Survivor benefits in fatal workplace accident cases

While all of your medical care should be covered, your workers’ compensation disability benefits will depend on the nature and severity of your injuries. The same is true in personal injury cases–except you’re also entitled to seek compensation for your non-economic damages.

Those non-economic damages may include:

Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Depression and anxiety
PTSD
Humiliation
Fear
Diminished quality of life
Loss of enjoyment of life
Physical disfigurement and scarring
Loss of consortium

The amount of non-economic damages you can recover depends heavily on how the injury has impacted your life.

Our Albuquerque Construction Accident Attorneys Will Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Accident Injuries

At Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers, we’re here to help regardless of the type of injuries you have sustained.

Common construction work injuries include:

Broken bones
Traumatic brain injuries
Crushing injuries
Chest injuries
Nerve injuries
Whiplash injuries
Soft tissue damage
Spinal cord injuries
Head and neck injuries
Concussions
Back injuries
Organ damage
Burns
Amputations
Paralysis
Catastrophic injuries
Wrongful death of a loved one

If you or a family member were injured on the job, reach out for legal assistance today. We can help with every aspect of your case while you recover.

What Causes Most Construction Accidents in Albuquerque, New Mexico?

Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system. You can receive benefits regardless of what caused the accident. It’s still important to understand what caused your accident. You may be entitled to additional damages from a negligent third party–and it’s also possible that your employer could claim your injuries were not work-related.

Some of the leading causes of construction accidents in Albuquerque include:

Defective scaffolding
Improperly installed scaffolding
Failure to provide proper fall protection equipment
Improperly maintained work equipment and tools
Exposure to faulty electrical wiring or live electricity
Violations of state and OSHA safety regulations
Missing safety equipment
Defective tools and equipment
Communication failures
Failure to adequately train or supervise workers
Negligent hiring practices, including hiring unqualified workers
Debris and other tripping hazards
Negligent driving
Negligent security, which can allow workplace violence to occur

Even a single mistake can be catastrophic when you’re working on a dangerous construction site. Our lawyers are here to help you determine the cause of your accident. Give us a call today to learn more about your legal rights under New Mexico law.

What Is the Statute of Limitations for New Mexico Construction Accident Cases?

To protect your right to workers’ compensation benefits, you should notify your employer about the injury within 15 days. If you can’t give notice within the 15-day period because of something out of your control, the notice period can be extended to 60 days.

If you’re entitled to file a third-party claim for additional damages, the statute of limitations in most New Mexico personal injury cases is three years.

These deadlines may seem like technicalities–but insurance companies know the rules. Courts will enforce these deadlines strictly, so it’s important to take legal action quickly to protect your right to compensation.

Contact an Experienced Albuquerque Construction Accident Attorney for a Free Consultation Today

If you were injured in a construction accident, call Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation today. It never hurts to learn more about your rights from an Albuquerque construction accident lawyer who understands the law.