If you’re injured in an accident through no fault of your own in Albuquerque, the first question on your mind after your immediate medical needs have been taken care of is likely to be about how to recover damages.

Sometimes, serious personal injuries can cause astronomical medical bills and loss of earnings due to time off work, as well as emotional and mental stress.

Why should you have to accept this if the accident was the fault of another party?

With the help of the experienced personal injury lawyers at Legal Solutions of New Mexico, we can help you get the compensation for your losses that you deserve and move on with your life.   If you have any questions regarding personal injury laws, please contact Legal Solutions of New Mexico at at (505) 445-4444 or book a consultation online. 

Common types of personal injury cases

When most people think of personal injury lawyers, they think of car accidents.

It’s true that a large number of personal injury cases in Albuquerque do involve vehicle collisions but there are other types of avoidable accidents that result in people getting hurt unnecessarily.

Even road accidents are extremely varied and may involve:

• Cars
• Trucks
• Motorcycles or scooters
• Bicycles
• Pedestrians

Accidents on the road also often involve complex vehicle insurance laws.

However, careless, reckless, or intentional behavior can also cause injury in public spaces, in hospitals and public institutions, in private homes and businesses, in entertainment venues, and so on.

If the at-fault party was negligent, you may be able to claim compensation. 

Besides road accidents, personal injury claims may result from:

• Medical malpractice – accidents in hospitals or nursing homes 
• Premises liability – accidents due to poorly maintained properties 
• Product liability – manufacturing errors
• Fights in entertainment venues
• Slips and falls in public or private spaces

Injuries may be obvious, hidden, temporary or more permanent. Typically, our lawyers help clients claim for injuries such as:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Spinal cord injuries
• Paralysis 
• Back and neck injuries
• Internal organ injuries
• Facial disfigurement
• Burns
• Broken bones and fractures
• Joint damage

Many more types of injuries can result from accidents of all kinds. Some injuries may heal relatively quickly while others will require an extensive period off work and may restrict mobility in the long term.

All of these factors and more will need to be weighed up by your personal injury lawyer when assessing the damages that you are due.

Insurance Coverages

If you have suffered a serious injury from an accident in Albuquerque, it is highly likely that the insurance company from the at-fault party will contact you.

It’s best to avoid saying too much before you talk with your personal injury lawyer.  Your words may be recorded and can easily be taken out of context and used against you by the insurance company when settling. 

The paramount concern for the insurance company is to minimize their losses from the accident so their representatives may try to persuade you to accept a quick lump-sum settlement.

You should talk over your situation with a personal injury lawyer first so that you have a clear idea of what a reasonable payout will be.

Our experienced personal injury lawyers have represented people in similar cases to yours and will be able to advise accurate estimates of reasonable compensation. 

Most times, we can claim far more than the first offer provided by the insurance company and we will look after the process of dealing with the insurance company from start to finish.

How to file a claim for personal injury 

If you go it alone, the personal injury claim process can be daunting. 

Dealing with insurance companies is typically very tough as they usually hire loss adjusters to play hardball in an attempt to minimize your settlement. 

They may question the validity of your injury claims or try to get you to say something that admits some fault from your side.

Our attorneys communicate with the insurance company of the at-fault party on your behalf.  We are used to the process and understand the strategies to ensure that you get what you deserve for your losses.

We will gather evidence of fault and demonstrate the value of the damages you’ve incurred due to the accident and related injuries.

If we are unable to reach a favourable settlement out of court, we will file a lawsuit on your behalf. This will provide an opportunity to present evidence about the losses you have suffered and to let a judge decide on the amount of compensation due.

In Albuquerque, compensation can be claimed for:

• Medical expenses related to your injuries
• Physical therapy, if required
• Loss of earnings, if applicable
• Property damage, if applicable
• Pain and suffering caused
• Mental trauma and mental health treatment, if applicable
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Caregiving costs, if applicable

In most cases, the insurance company wants to avoid litigation as it will lead to extra costs.

Note that New Mexico is a comparative fault state. This means that you can file a lawsuit against another person even if you were at some degree of fault for an accident. However, your final award will be reduced by your percentage of negligence. 

Injured and in need of legal assistance in Albuquerque? 

It’s never easy handling a personal injury claim on your own. Proving negligence can be very technical and is usually beyond the capabilities of people who are not trained in this aspect of law.

If a large organization like a hospital or a corporate employer is involved, powerful legal representation may also try to intimidate you into agreeing to a suboptimal settlement.

If we represent you, our Albuquerque personal injury lawyers will handle all the negotiations and guide you through the claims process, looking after your best interests every step of the way.

Start with an initial consultation. Call Legal Solutions of New Mexico at 505-445-4444 or book a consultation online.