Albuquerque Personal Injury Lawyers

Types of Cases Our Albuquerque Personal Injury Attorneys Handle

Our team understands that no two cases are alike. We handle a variety of cases with the pride and compassion our clients deserve.

Car Accidents

Car accidents happen every single day, often in a split second. According to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Central, and East Central Albuquerque see the most deadly crashes in New Mexico. Not only can a car wreck cause property damage and financial burden, but you may be left with severe injuries.

Common injuries resulting from car accidents include:

• Lacerations,
• Broken bones,
• Soft tissue injuries,
• Back injuries,
• Head injuries, and
• Spinal injuries.

After a car accident, a personal injury attorney can work to ensure your claim is paid to the fullest extent. If you were hurt in an accident that wasn’t your fault, a range of questions may flood your mind:

• How Can I Pay My Medical Bills?
• What if I Can’t Work?
• Can I Recover Compensation for My Losses?
• Am I Being Treated Fairly by the Insurance Company?

Truck Accidents

While some may think car accidents and truck accidents are the same, there are very major differences between them.

Semi-trucks, being considerably larger and heavier than regular vehicles, can cause much more property damage and catastrophic injuries. The roads in Bernalillo County, Albuquerque, had eight times more fatalities from motor vehicle accidents than the average county.

Insurance policies for semi-trucks are also significantly higher, and determining liability in truck accident cases is often challenging. An experienced truck accident lawyer will know best how to handle your case.

Bicycle Accidents

Navigating a bicycle injury claim in Albuquerque requires careful attention to legal details and a commitment to securing fair compensation for your suffering. By enlisting the expertise of a dedicated bicycle injury attorney, you can maximize your chances of a successful legal recovery.

Oil Field Injuries

Many benefit from the critical work done on oil fields, but oil fields can pose significant dangers. Oil field workers put their health and safety on the line every time they go to work, leaving them vulnerable to various injuries.

Some of the most common oil field injuries include:

• Burns,
• Lacerations,
• Broken bones,
• Electrocutions,
• Head and spine injuries, and
• Injuries leading to amputations.

The severity of injuries caused on oil fields requires the help of a proficient Albuquerque personal injury attorney.

Workplace Injuries

Workplace injuries can happen in almost any environment. Typically, workers’ compensation insurance would cover an employee after they’ve suffered injuries in a workplace accident.

However, in some instances, benefits may be denied. Also, depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident, a third party may have been involved.

If you need help with a denial or determining whether you have a claim against a third party, it is best to consult with a personal injury lawyer.

Product Liability

Whether or not we realize it, we all use numerous products every day, from lamps to lawnmowers. Sometimes, without warning, these products will malfunction, leaving you with serious injuries.

Whether it be a manufacturing or design defect, a personal injury attorney knows how to handle your product liability case.

Brain Injuries

Accidents and catastrophic events can leave you with different injuries, one of the most serious being brain injuries. Brain injuries can happen as a result of many accidents, including:

• Car accidents,
• Truck accidents,
• Motorcycle accidents,
• Pedestrian accidents,
• Slip and falls, and
• Being struck by a heavy object.

The effects of a brain injury can linger for long periods and, sometimes, for the rest of your life. If you’ve suffered a brain injury, be sure to consult with a catastrophic injury attorney.

Wrongful Death

Losing a loved one is never easy. But losing a loved one due to someone’s negligence or misconduct can cause further suffering and difficulties.

While money will not bring back your loved one, it can ease some stress and financial hardships. If you’ve lost a loved one at the hands of another, a wrongful death personal injury attorney is the right person to help you.

How Personal Injury Claims Work in New Mexico

Careless or reckless conduct causes the most serious injuries, which the practice of law refers to as “negligence.” To recover compensation, you must prove four essential elements:

1. You need to show that the responsible party had a duty to exercise caution, so as to not cause a risk of harm to others;
2. You must present proof that the responsible party failed in this duty;
3. You must establish that there’s a direct connection between the breach of duty and the accident that caused your injuries, such that you wouldn’t have been hurt but for the breach; and,
4. You must prove that you suffered losses because of your injuries, physically, financially, and emotionally.

Though it’s not an additional element, you should note that the statute of limitations in New Mexico is three years. This means you have three years from the date you were hurt to file a lawsuit in court.

The statute of limitations only applies to litigation, so it doesn’t count if you filed a claim with an insurance company within that time frame.

Get the Compensation You Deserve After an Accident

Monetary damages reimburse you for your losses. Both economic and non-economic losses come into play. Our personal injury lawyers in Albuquerque, NM will fight to obtain the maximum compensation allowed by law, including:

Economic Damages: You may be eligible to recover compensation for past and current medical bills, as well as certain future expenses. Examples include costs of treatment, hospitalization, rehabilitation, physical therapy, pain medications, surgery, and at-home care.

In addition, economic damages may be available for losses related to property damage, vehicle repairs, past and future lost wages, and more.

Non-Economic Damages: This category of losses is more subjective and not as easily definable, but you most definitely suffer. You may be able to recover compensation for:

• Pain and suffering;
• Scarring and disfigurement;
• Diminished quality of life;
• Emotional suffering; and,
• Many other losses.

Wrongful Death: If you lost a loved one because of someone else’s negligence, you may have the right to compensation. Liability in such cases is similar to other personal injury matters, but there are some distinct factors that make wrongful death claims very complex.

Limitations on Compensation: Note that your amount of monetary damages may be affected if you were partly at fault in causing the accident which led to your injuries. New Mexico law on proportionate liability, sometimes called comparative negligence, may reduce the amount you can recover when your own negligence contributed to the incident.

Insurance Claims and Civil Lawsuits for Personal Injury Cases

In most situations, your first step to recovering compensation is to file a claim with the responsible party’s insurance company. Drivers, business owners, employers, and other entities carry insurance to protect them from liability.

However, even when your right to monetary damages seems clear, you may experience push-back from the insurance company. The claims adjuster may blame you for the accident or question the severity of your injuries.

Our attorneys at Tawney, Acosta & Chaparro, P.C. are skilled at overcoming the challenges presented by insurance companies.

We will aggressively negotiate on your behalf, and won’t accept anything less than what you deserve to cover your losses. If we can’t reach an agreement with the insurance company, we’ll take your case to court to protect your rights.

Get in Touch with an Albuquerque Personal Injury Attorney Today

If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident resulting in severe injuries, do not hesitate to contact a personal injury attorney in Albuquerque today. Our offices are conveniently located in Downtown Albuquerque. Your personal injury attorneys in Albuquerque will be invaluable allies in your legal battle.

Albuquerque Personal injury attorneys handle all aspects of your case from the very beginning until you reach a settlement. An attorney can help in many ways, including:

• Collecting evidence and documentation;
• Interviewing witnesses and experts;
• Arranging inspections; and
• Engaging in settlement negotiations.

While many will try to handle their cases independently, a personal injury attorney can help you get the outcome you truly deserve.

Tawney, Acosta & Chaparro, P.C., is committed to helping clients when they need it most. Our Albuquerque personal injury lawyers offer clients the understanding they desire while fighting tirelessly for the justice and compensation they deserve.

Our team is always ready to take on even the most challenging cases, and we won’t back down until we reach a favorable outcome for our clients. Let’s discuss your case. Contact us today.