Being involved in an accident in Bernalillo, NM, can be a life-changing event. Coping with injuries, missed time from work or hobbies, and unexpected costs can be overwhelming. If you were involved in an accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, you can seek compensation for your injuries or losses.
Hiring a seasoned Bernalillo personal injury lawyer will allow you to focus on your recovery, while they fight for the compensation you deserve. The attorneys at Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers are here to do just that.
Schedule a free consultation with a Bernallilo injury attorney by calling us at (505) 785-7770 or contacting us online.
How Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After an Accident in Bernalillo
If you’ve been injured in a personal injury accident in Bernalillo, New Mexico, caused by someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, our firm is here to help. Our injury attorneys have more than 55 years of combined legal experience and we have a 98% success rate. To date, we’ve helped our clients recover more than $30 million in compensation.
When you hire an attorney from Curiel & Runion Personal Injury Lawyers, you can count on us to expertly handle your case from start to finish, including:
- Reviewing your case and discussing your legal options
- Investigating the accident and identifying the at fault parties
- Gathering facts and evidence to support your claims
- Assessing the extent of your damages
- Contacting the insurance companies to negotiate a settlement on your behalf
- Representing you in court, if a favorable settlement can’t be reached
Our Bernalillo personal injury attorneys give you the personalized attention and dedicated service you deserve. Reach out to our office today for a free case review and to learn more about how we can help with your personal injury case.
How Common Are Accidents in Bernalillo, NM?
While many personal injury accidents go unreported or are settled confidentially, car accidents are often reported to law enforcement and insurance companies. In 2021, there were over 40,000 car accidents in New Mexico. Of those, 12,404 resulted in injuries, 27,936 resulted in property damage only, and 429 resulted in death. What Is My Accident Case Worth?
Every injured victim is different, and so is every personal injury case. There are several factors that will determine what your personal injury accident case is worth, including:
- The severity of your injuries
- The extent of property damage
- Whether you were partially at fault
- The evidence available to support your claims
- The insurance policy limits
Another factor that can impact the value of your case is whether you hire a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer. Your lawyer canhelp gather the evidence to support your claims and negotiate with insurance companies to fight for the compensation you deserve.
What Kinds of Damages Are Available to Accident Victims?
If you’ve been injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, then you can seek compensation for your losses. These losses are called damages. In personal injury law, there are two key categories of damages available: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are losses related to the financial consequences of the accident or injury.
Economic damages may include:
- Past and future medical costs
- Vehicle repair costs
- Transportation costs
- Property damage
- Lost wages or loss of future earning capacity
Economic damages are relatively easy to estimate. They often can be calculated using invoices, receipts, or other types of documents. However, future medical costs or loss of earning capacity can be harder to calculate. An experienced personal injury lawyer can handle the complexities of assessing your economic damages and compiling the evidence to support your claims.
Non-Economic Damages
In contrast, non-economic damages are not related to the financial consequences of the accident or injury. These damages relate to the emotional and psychological consequences of the accident.
Non-economic damages may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of consortium
- Diminished quality of life
Non-economic damages are harder to calculate than economic damages. Non-economic damages are based on the victim’s subjective experience after an accident or injury. If you think you’re entitled to non-economic damages, an experienced personal injury lawyer can be very helpful.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
In most cases, you won’t have to pay any attorney’s fees upfront when you hire a personal injury lawyer. That’s because most personal injury lawyers work for a contingent fee. A contingent fee is a fee the attorney collects at the end of your case, based on a percentage of your total financial recovery. A typical contingent fee is between 33% and 40%.
Keep in mind that you may be responsible for other costs that arise during your case, such as court filing fees and administrative costs. Your attorney should explain whether you are responsible for these costs and how they will be collected.
Can I Recover Compensation If I’m Being Blamed for an Accident in New Mexico?
If you’re being blamed for an accident in New Mexico, the good news is you may still be able to recover compensation for your injuries. That’s because New Mexico is a pure comparative negligence state.
Pure comparative negligence means that each party will be assigned a percentage of fault in the case. A victim’s damages will be reduced by the percentage they were at fault. Unlike many other states, an injured party can recover compensation even if they were more at fault than the defendant.
For example, if the court determined you were 60% at fault and the other driver was 40% at fault in a car accident, then you could recover 40% of your damages from the other at-fault party.
We’ll Fight For You to Recover Compensation for All of Your Accident Injuries
Whether you’ve been injured in a car accident, a slip and fall, or some other type of personal injury accident, we’re here to fight for you to recover compensation for all of your injuries. Some common types of injuries we see in our cases include:
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Other neck and spine injuries
- Bruising
- Muscle sprains
- Soft-tissue injury
- Burns
- Lacerations
- Dog bites
We’ve got the expertise you deserve and will fight for you to recover compensation for all of your injuries. Reach out to our office today to learn more about how we can help.
How Do I Prove Negligence After an Accident in New Mexico?
In most personal injury cases, you will need to prove that the at fault party was negligent in order to recover compensation. To prove negligence, you must establish the following four elements: duty of care, breach, causation, and damages.
Duty of care
First, you must show that the defendant had an obligation to conform to a certain standard of care toward you. The normal standard of care is to act the way a reasonably prudent person would under the same or similar circumstances.
For example, a driver on the road owes a duty of care to other drivers and pedestrians. This may include a duty to drive with reasonable care and caution, to not drive over the speed limit, and to obey traffic signals.
Breach
Second, you must show that the defendant breached or violated the required duty of care. Using the example above, a driver may breach the duty of care if they run a red light.
Causation
In tort law, the area of law that includes personal injury law, a plaintiff must show that the at fault party was the actual and proximate cause of their injuries. The “actual cause” means that the accident would not have happened without the defendant’s actions or inactions. The “proximate cause” means that the plaintiff’s injuries were a reasonably foreseeable consequence of the defendant’s conduct.
Damages
Finally, you must show that you suffered injuries or loss as a result of the defendant’s conduct. The court must be able to award you some type of remedy to help make you whole.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After an Accident in New Mexico?
In New Mexico, you generally have three years in which to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. This three-year time limit is called the statute of limitations.]It runs from the date that the accident or injury occurred. You must file your case on time, or you may not be able to recover compensation for your injuries.
In some cases, an exception or different statute of limitations may apply. For example, you have only two years to file a lawsuit against a government entity. To ensure that your case is filed on time, consult an experienced personal injury lawyer about your case.
Contact Our Bernalillo Personal Injury Lawyers For a Free Consultation
If you were involved in an accident in Bernalillo, let our attorneys focus on your personal injury case while you focus on your health and moving forward with your life. Contact our office today to schedule a free consultation with a Bernalillo personal injury lawyer.