Hurt In A Car Crash In Albuquerque?
Get car accident attorney Andras Szantho on your side
As the largest city in New Mexico and the seat of Bernalillo County, Albuquerque sees its share of traffic — and unfortunately, that means there’s always the risk of an accident. Albuquerque car accident lawyer Andras Szantho knows. That’s because our law firm regularly represents injury victims and their families. While most motorists are safe and responsible drivers, some are negligent, and when they cause collisions, people get seriously hurt.
The crash itself may have been over in moments, but the consequences can last a lifetime. Weeks or months of your life may be spent recovering at Presbyterian Hospital, Heart Hospital of New Mexico or one of Albuquerque’s many other state-of-the-art medical centers. You may be unable to work or care for loved ones, and the financial toll starts piling up.
FAQ about Albuquerque car accidents
- What should I do after an Albuquerque car accident?
- Should I see a doctor if I feel fine after my car crash?
- Who decides who’s at fault?
- Who pays for my accident?
- What can I be compensated for?
- What should I do if the at-fault driver’s insurance company contacts me?
- Should I accept a settlement offer for my Albuquerque car accident?
- Can I ask for more money?
- Can I file a car accident lawsuit?
- How can an Albuquerque car accident lawyer help me?
You need an experienced Albuquerque accident lawyer on your side to help you rebuild your life. You need Szantho Law Firm.
A car accident attorney can help you deal with the insurance company
In principle, getting your expenses covered after a car accident should be easy. You pay for insurance, and your insurance company will take care of you in the event of a crash. In practice, it’s rarely that simple. Insurance companies, even your own, are in business to make money, and the way they protect their bottom line is by paying victims less than they deserve.
To rebuild your life, you need compensation for all of the expenses arising from your car accident, including:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Damage to your car or other property
- Lost future earnings
- Modifications to your home or car
- Pain and suffering
The insurance companies know how much an accident can cost. They also know that many of those expenses don’t become clear until weeks or months after an accident, and that some are difficult to prove. That’s why they may make you a “lowball” offer or use scare tactics to try to get you to settle for less than you need.
Don’t try to face the insurance companies alone. They have teams of attorneys and adjusters on their side, and you need your own advocate to level the playing field. A former New Mexico prosecutor, attorney Andras Szantho knows the courts in Bernalillo County and has a strong track record of success standing up to the insurance companies on behalf of Albuquerque residents. There’s no substitute for such hands-on courtroom experience. Put his aggressive, hard-hitting approach to work for you.
What should I do after an Albuquerque car accident?
Call 911 and tell them you have been in a car crash caused by another driver. An officer from the Albuquerque Police Department or a state trooper from the New Mexico State Police will likely respond to your accident. At the crash site, also make sure to take the following steps:
- Get the name and phone number of any witnesses who saw your collision.
- Take pictures of the crash site.
- Get the other driver’s name, address, driver’s license number and insurance information.
- Give the same information to the other driver.
- Don’t discuss your crash with the other driver or anyone else besides the police. Anything you say could possibly be used as evidence to deny your injury claim.
- Contact an experienced Albuquerque car accident attorney as soon as possible after your crash.
Should I see a doctor if I feel fine after my car crash?
Yes. Don’t try to diagnose yourself, even if you’re a medical professional. You could be in shock and not even realize that you have a serious or potentially life-threatening injury. Have a doctor examine you right away and determine if you have an injury.
Make sure to take your doctor’s advice. Failure to do so could slow your recovery and result in your injury claim being denied. Insurance companies are always looking for excuses to deny accident claims. Follow your doctor’s instructions.
New Mexico has a fault-based car insurance system. This means the at-fault party must pay for accident-related expenses for injury victims. Insurance companies for both drivers often decide who is at fault. But you can also be part of these important conversations, especially if you have an experienced attorney representing you. Your lawyer can present evidence in support of your claim and demand that you receive the money you rightfully deserve for your crash.
As explained above, the at-fault party is responsible for paying for your injury-related expenses under New Mexico law. Often, this means the insurance company for the at-fault driver must pay all your bills due to your accident. But actually getting the money you rightfully deserve can be a challenge. Don’t be surprised if the other driver’s insurance company does everything it can to reduce or deny your injury claim. That’s because you may be eligible to receive thousands of dollars or significantly more.
What can I be compensated for?
You should receive money for all your accident-related expenses. What you might not realize is just how many expenses are covered as part of your injury claim. It’s not just short-term expenses like the cost of emergency medical care. You are also eligible to receive money for long-term expenses years after your accident. Such expenses can include follow-up doctor’s appointments, surgery and physical therapy. You should also receive money for repairing or replacing your vehicle if it is deemed a total loss. And don’t forget about compensation for lost future income if you cannot work due to your car accident injury.
What should I do if the at-fault driver’s insurance company contacts me?
Don’t be surprised if an insurance adjuster or another insurance company employee representing the at-fault driver contacts you soon after your accident. Their questions might seem simple or straightforward. Don’t trust them. They’re simply looking for information they can use to reduce or deny your claim. If they want more information, simply tell them to talk to your attorney.
Should I accept a settlement offer for my Albuquerque car accident?
A tactic insurance companies often use after a collision is to make a “lowball” settlement offer to an injury victim. Such an offer might be tempting, especially if you already have a lot of bills due to your accident, including ones for medical expenses and vehicle repairs. While it might be tempting to accept such an offer, the reality is many initial settlement offers don’t even come close to covering all your expenses. And once you accept an offer, that’s it. You cannot ask for more money in the future, even if your injury-related expenses increase more than you expected.
This is why it’s important to carefully review any offer from the at-fault driver’s insurance company before agreeing to accept it. Your lawyer can help you with this step and advise you on what you should do next. Your Albuquerque attorney can also help you file a lawsuit in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court or whichever court has jurisdiction over your car accident claim if you decide to take legal action.
What many people might not realize is they don’t have to accept an insurance company’s initial settlement offer. You can ask for more money, especially if the settlement offer you received does not cover all your injury-related expenses. Just keep in mind that the other driver’s insurance company will likely claim they can’t offer you a penny more. This is why it’s important to hire an experienced attorney. You lawyer can negotiate with the other driver’s insurance company and demand a larger settlement offer on your behalf.
Can I file a car accident lawsuit?
Yes. You have the right to file a lawsuit if you were injured in a car crash caused by another driver in Albuquerque. That’s the law in New Mexico. Keep in mind that you only have three years to take legal action. This deadline, known as the statute of limitations, is due to New Mexico Statutes Annotated section 37-1-8. If you miss this deadline, you could miss out on your only opportunity to obtain the money you deserve for your collision. This is why it’s important to talk with an attorney as soon as possible after your Albuquerque car crash.
How can an Albuquerque car accident lawyer help me?
The stakes are high after your car crash. Insurance companies know this. That’s why they hire investigators, accident reconstruction experts and attorneys to investigate your collision and deny your claim. When you have an experienced Albuquerque auto accident attorney on your side, you can level the playing field. You can gather evidence in support of your injury claim. You can demand the money you deserve at the negotiating table. And if the at-fault driver’s insurance company refuses to make a fair settlement offer or denies your claim, you can take legal action and fight for what’s rightfully yours in court. You didn’t do anything wrong. You deserve to be compensated for your Albuquerque car accident.
Contact an Albuquerque attorney today to protect your rights
The sooner you have attorney Szantho on your side, the better. We can start investigating your accident and build a strong case to take on the insurance company. That’s why you need to contact us right away to schedule a free consultation. If you can’t come to our Albuquerque office, we’ll come to you at home, at work, or wherever else is convenient for you. There’s no fee and no obligation – we just want you to be aware of your legal rights. If you do choose to retain our firm, you won’t owe us a cent unless we recover for you.
Take strong legal action after your car accident. Contact us online or call our Albuquerque office at (505) 660-1141.