Albuquerque Dog Bite Lawyer

Were you or your child bitten by a dog in Albuquerque, NM? You may be entitled to recover compensation from the dog owner to help with medical bills and other losses related to the incident. Contact our experienced Albuquerque dog bite lawyer from Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers at (505) 594-3621 to help you get the compensation you deserve.

Our lawyers have over 55 years of experience helping injured New Mexico clients and families in cases like Albuquerque pedestrian accidents, brain injuries, slip and fall accidents, Albuquerque premises liability, motorcycle accidents, and more. We’ve recovered tens of millions for accident victims, and our team has achieved a 98% success rate in personal injury cases.

Contact our law offices in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. We work on contingency, which means we never charge attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.

How Can Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers Help After a Dog Bite in Albuquerque, NM?

How Can Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers Help After a Dog Bite in Albuquerque, NM?

Dogs are incredible companions and can add lots of joy to life. However, some dogs are more aggressive than others. When owners don’t properly leash or fence such dogs, they may bite children or adults they encounter while off-leash.

Dog bites can cause serious injuries and emotional trauma. If you were bitten by a dog, you deserve compensation from the owner. An experienced Albuquerque personal injury attorney can help you obtain the money you need for medical treatment, as well as other losses.

When you trust Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers with your case, you will have an Albuquerque personal injury attorney who can:

  • Explain your rights under New Mexico law
  • Investigate the incident and gather evidence to prove your case
  • Hire experts to strengthen your claim (when necessary) 
  • Calculate the fair value of your damages
  • Handle all communications and negotiations with the insurance companies
  • Advocate for you in court in pursuit of fair compensation

Our Albuquerque personal injury lawyers will use our extensive skills and experience to try and recover the maximum compensation possible in your case. Call for a free case review today to get started.

How Common Are Dog Bites in New Mexico?

Roughly 4.5 million people receive dog bite injuries annually in the United States. Nearly 800,000 of those injuries require medical treatment.

Albuquerque has its fair share of dog bites. In fact, the city is regarded as having a stray dog problem. One recent year, Albuquerque was in the top 20 cities for the highest number of dog attacks on postal carriers at 22. There has already been at least one fatal dog bite in the region in 2023. 

What Is My Albuquerque Dog Bite Injury Case Worth?

No dog bite cases are exactly alike. Bite force varies from dog breed to dog breed, and victims may have different responses to bites based on their age, size, and the location of the bite.

It would be mere speculation to state what your case is worth without knowing the facts. However, the following factors will heavily influence the value of your claim.

  • The severity of your injuries
  • The cost of your medical expenses (past and future)
  • Whether you lose wages while you recover 
  • The pain and suffering you’ve experienced
  • Available insurance coverages
  • Whether you share fault for the bite

In many cases, homeowners’ insurance policies will provide coverage for dog bite claims. The best way to learn more about the value of your case is to contact an experienced dog bite lawyer in Albuquerque. 

Contact Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation to get the help you deserve.

What Types of Damages Are Available to Dog Bite Victims in Albuquerque?

Under New Mexico personal injury laws, you can recover compensation for financial and non-financial damages. These losses are called “damages.”

Examples of economic damages include:

  • Medical expenses
  • Future medical expenses
  • Lost income
  • Diminished earning potential
  • Physical therapy/Rehabilitation 
  • Counseling

Examples of non-economic include:

Our dog bite attorneys in Albuquerque can help you identify and calculate your damages. We’ll do everything in our power to maximize the value of your case. Contact us today for help.

Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Dog Bite Injury in New Mexico?

It may seem like a dog or its owner is 100% responsible for every dog bite. However, that’s not always the case. Sometimes, a person may provoke the dog into biting. In such a case, the victim cannot recover full compensation. 

New Mexico is a pure comparative fault state. Therefore, your compensation can be reduced according to your percentage of fault. For example, if a court, jury, or insurance company finds that you were 50% responsible for the dog bite because you provoked the dog, you will only be able to recover 50% of your compensation.

Not all allegations of comparative negligence are accurate. Sometimes, the insurance company will use these rules solely to try and diminish the value of your claim. Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers can protect you from unfounded claims that you provoked the dog into biting. 

Dog bites can cause a wide range of injuries, including some you might not expect. A person might even receive additional injuries after falling and or trying to run away from the dog. Children and older adults are the most vulnerable to serious dog bite injuries.

At Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers, we regularly represent victims who have suffered the following injuries in dog attacks: 

In severe instances, dog bite injuries can be fatal and lead to wrongful death. If you need legal help after a dog bite, please contact our law firm in Albuquerque to learn more about your legal rights.

How Do I Prove My Dog Bite Case in New Mexico? 

New Mexico does not have a dog bite law on the books. Therefore general common law and negligence principles apply. There are two grounds for dog bite liability in the state: negligence and the one-bite rule. 

The one-bite rule states that a dog owner is liable for a victim’s dog bite injuries if they knew (or should have known) that the dog was “vicious.” A dog owner has knowledge that their dog has vicious tendencies if it bit someone in the past. 

Under the one-bite rule, an owner is not liable if they did not know of the dog’s propensity to bite. However, they can still be liable under negligence principles if they failed to restrain/control the dog where they should have reasonably anticipated that the dog might cause an injury. 

Our legal team at Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers have been helping clients prove dog bite cases for years. We can analyze your case to determine whether you have a cause of action under the one-bite rule or negligence laws. 

We’ll investigate and gather the evidence you need for your claim, including:

  • Proof that the dog owner violated Albuquerque leash laws
  • Medical records 
  • Eyewitness statements
  • Video surveillance footage
  • And more

Contact us today for a free initial consultation to discuss your options.

Can Dog Owners Blame Me for the Dog Bites?

Dog owners have a couple of defenses they can assert to avoid liability for your dog bite injuries. They may claim that: 

  • You provoked the dog before the bite
  • You were trespassing at the time the dog bit you

If the dog owner can prove one of these two defenses, they will not have to pay all of your damages.

How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After a Dog Bite in New Mexico?

It’s important to take action quickly after a dog bite. You won’t have forever to file a lawsuit. New Mexico’s statute of limitations only provides you with three years to file your claim. The clock generally starts ticking on the date of the dog bite. 

If you fail to meet the deadline, your claim will be barred from court. Contact our law firm today to get started and avoid issues with the statute of limitations. 

Contact an Albuquerque Dog Bite Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Dogs are typically friendly, but they can still be aggressive under certain circumstances. If you were bitten, an Albuquerque dog bite lawyer can help you fight for fair compensation from the dog owner or their insurance company. 

Let us handle the legal aspects of your claim while you rest and recover from the incident. Call Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers, today to schedule a free case consultation. 

Our personal injury law firm in Albuquerque, NM also provides: