New Mexico Car Accident Attorney

When you get behind the wheel of your vehicle, you know that there are dangers involved and that safety is paramount. Unfortunately, there are times when the careless or negligent actions of other drivers around you can cause severe accidents. At Liles White, we are here to help if you need a New Mexico car accident attorney. Our team of New Mexico personal injury lawyers have experience handling complex injury claims in New Mexico and throughout the U.S., and we have the resources necessary to handle every aspect of your vehicle accident case. Our goal is to ensure you receive full compensation for your medical bills, property damage, lost wages, and other accident-related expenses.

Why Choose Liles White for Help With Your Case?

  • The attorneys at Liles White have spent more than two decades standing up to aggressive insurance carriers and at-fault parties on behalf of injury victims throughout New Mexico.
  • Our team of trial attorneys is confident in their ability to fully investigate every claim that they take and ensure that clients are treated fairly by all parties.
  • Our law firm has a reputation for success and have secured hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of our clients.

New Mexico Car Accident Resources

How Will an Attorney Help in a New Mexico Car Accident Claim?

Car accident cases in New Mexico can become incredibly challenging for an injury or property damage victim. Unfortunately, insurance carriers and at-fault parties often have more resources available to them than the injury victim does. However, a New Mexico car accident lawyer can level the playing field and bring the resources needed to conduct a complete investigation. A car accident attorney can uncover all evidence needed to prove liability, which can include:

  • Photographs were taken at the scene of the incident
  • Video surveillance from nearby cameras
  • Statements from any eyewitnesses
  • Vehicle “black box” data
  • Data from a driver’s mobile device
  • The police report

Additionally, an attorney will be responsible for ensuring that their client is evaluated by a trusted medical professional who can treat their injuries and properly calculate their total expected losses. An experienced car accident attorney will handle all claims filed with insurance carriers as well as negotiations with any party involved.

Types of Car Accidents in New Mexico

When we turn to data available from the New Mexico Department of Transportation, we can see that there were more than 46,000 total vehicle crashes reported during the latest year across the state. Out of these incidents, there were nearly 20,000 injuries, and 392 people lost their lives.

Some of the most common New Mexico car accidents are:

  • Rear-end accidents.  Drivers who follow too close or are driving while distracted may hit another driver from the rear.  Rear-end accidents frequently occur and result in whiplash, back and spine injuries, and facial cuts and bruises;
  • Head-on collisions.  When vehicles collide front-to-front, it is called a head-on collision.  These are some of the most deadly accidents.  Drivers may swerve into oncoming traffic, cross the median, or drive in the wrong direction down a one-way road.  Many head-on collisions are from distracted, drugged, or drunk driving;
  • Side-impact collisions.  Side-impact collisions, also called T-bone accidents, are intersection accidents where one car collides head-on into the passenger side of another vehicle.  These happen when drivers rush to make lights, improperly turn, and are distracted.  Side-impact collisions typically cause serious injuries and can be fatal. Our New Mexico bicycle accident lawyers have also seen these types of accidents occur between cars and bicyclists;
  • Rollovers.  Rollovers are when a car rolls onto its side or roof.  Some vehicles have a high center of gravity and are prone to rollovers.  Swerving, sharp turns and speeding can result in rollover accidents.  These are often deadly;
  • Single-vehicle crashes.  These accidents only involve one car, but more than one car may cause the accident.  The crash may also be due to faulty vehicle parts or a road hazard.  

Common Causes of Car Accidents in New Mexico

Just as there are several types of vehicle accidents in New Mexico, there are also a variety of reasons they occur.  According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), the top contributing factors to crashes during the latest year of data included:

  • Driver inattention
  • Failure to yield the right of way
  • Following too closely

When looking strictly at fatal crashes, the top contributing factors in these incidents included:

side impact car accident collision | New Mexico car accident lawyers

Most Common Car Accident Injuries in New Mexico

Vehicle accidents in New Mexico often result in severe injuries for the drivers and passengers involved. At Liles White, our attorneys regularly help clients who have sustained the following:

  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Open head wounds
  • Concussions
  • Spinal cord injuries with paralysis
  • Whiplash
  • Other severe back or neck injuries
  • Internal organ damage
  • Internal bleeding
  • Broken or dislocated bones
  • Severe lacerations or puncture wounds
  • Amputations or crush injuries
  • Significant scarring or disfigurement

Additionally, our New Mexico car accident lawyers also work with clients who have sustained emotional and psychological trauma as a result of their vehicle accident in New Mexico. The team of New Mexico brain injury attorneys know how catastrophic brain injuries can impact a car accident victim’s life and have experience securing the compensation deserved. Our spinal cord injury attorneys in New Mexico also have represented serious back and spine injury victims after a car accident and have the skills to fight for the rights of injury victims. We understand that clients need compensation for all of their injuries, including the visible traumatic ones as well as the internal emotional injuries.

How Long Do You Have to File a Car Accident Injury Claim?

Vehicle accident victims in New Mexico need to be aware that they have a limited amount of time to file a claim in these cases. The personal injury statute of limitations in this state is three years from the date an injury occurs. This means that car accident victims have a three-year window with which to file a lawsuit against the alleged negligent driver.

However, our New Mexico injury lawyers point out that insurance companies have strict reporting deadlines that need to be adhered to. Failing to report a car accident to an insurance company within a day or two could result in the claim being delayed or denied altogether.

What Types of Compensation Can You Receive in New Mexico Car Accident Cases?

Auto accident victims in New Mexico may be entitled to various types of compensation if their personal injury claim is successful. The New Mexico car accident attorneys at Liles White work diligently to secure both economic and non-economic compensation on behalf of our clients, which can include the following:

  • Complete coverage of car crash-related medical expenses
  • Lost income if a victim cannot work
  • Property damage expenses
  • Pain and suffering damages
  • Loss of quality of life damages

The total amount of compensation available in these cases will vary depending on the circumstances related to each situation. This includes the severity of the accident, the injury victim’s recovery time, the level of pain and suffering, and whether or not there was any shared fault for the incident. In the case of a serious injury after a car accident with a rideshare driver, our team of New Mexico Uber accident lawyers can represent you and help you seek compensation. In tragic car accident cases resulting in the death of a loved one, our New Mexico wrongful death lawyers can support you and provide expert legal assistance with recovering the maximum financial compensation you deserve.

What Happens if You Share Fault for a New Mexico Car Accident?

New Mexico has special rules for damage awards in car accidents.  When damages are awarded in the state, they are granted in accordance with the pure comparative negligence rule.  

This means that the percentage of each party’s fault is determined, including the victims.  Then, the victim’s damages are reduced by their percentage of fault.  

For example, if the total damages awarded is $100,000, and the victim is eighty percent at fault for the accident, they can still recover twenty percent of the $100,000 award, or $20,000.  Therefore, a driver who was more at fault for their injuries than the drivers in an accident can recover money for their losses.

What Should You Do After a New Mexico Car Accident?

Car accidents happen in an instant, and the aftermath can be confusing.  That is why New Mexico drivers need a plan if they are involved in a car accident.  

The first and most important step after any accident is to take a personal health assessment and request medical assistance at the scene if there are injuries.  

Next, preserve your legal rights by:

  • Calling for police assistance at the scene of the crash;
  • Remaining at the location if medically possible;
  • Exchanging information with other parties when able;
  • Not admitting any fault or blame or apologizing for the accident;
  • Taking photos and videos of the scene, vehicles, and injuries if feasible; and
  • Getting a medical examination right away (even if you do not feel your injuries are serious).

Always get a medical evaluation after an accident.  Not all car accident injuries are apparent and need a medical examination for detection.  Some injuries may have a delayed onset and can take days or even weeks to appear.

Can You Afford a New Mexico Car Accident Lawyer?

At Liles White, we take New Mexico car accident cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that our clients will not have to worry about any legal fees until after we obtain the compensation they are entitled to. Our clients will pay no upfront or out-of-pocket costs while their case is ongoing.

contact a new mexico car accident lawyer at Liles White

Contact Our New Mexico Car Accident Lawyer for Help Today

If you or somebody you love has sustained an injury in a car accident caused by the negligent or careless actions of another driver, let the team at Liles White get to work on your behalf immediately. Our car accident lawyers in New Mexico have extensive experience handling complex injury claims throughout the state, and we have a network of resources available so we can fully investigate your case. When you need a New Mexico car accident lawyer, you can contact us for a free consultation of your case or by calling (361) 826-0100.