Fatal Car Accident Lawyer
A New Mexico attorney can help
Losing a loved one in a fatal car accident can be devastating to those closest to the crash victim. Sadly, such motor vehicle accidents have become increasingly common in recent years in New Mexico, with hundreds of deaths every year.
If you have lost a loved one in a fatal car accident, you know how upsetting and confusing such crashes can be for everyone in your family. All you want to do is grieve the loss of a loved one. But there are so many issues that need to be addressed right away – whether it’s dealing with the at-fault driver’s insurance company or filling out official forms related to your crash. That’s why we want to help.
An experienced New Mexico car accident attorney at the Szantho Law Firm can investigate and find out what caused the death of your loved one. From reviewing your official accident report to tracking down witnesses who saw what happened to consulting with accident-reconstruction experts if necessary, we leave no stone unturned in pursuit of justice.
Why do fatal car accidents happen?
Fatal car accidents are almost always attributed to negligence on the part of another driver. This can include:
- Distracted driving: Your loved one’s death may have been caused by a driver who was texting, using a handheld device, using built-in vehicle features, or engaging in other distracted behavior. Distracted driving is currently one of the leading causes in fatal car accidents.
- Impaired driving: The at-fault driver may have been impaired by alcohol or drugs. More than half of fatal accidents in New Mexico involve a drunk driver or a driver under the influence of drugs.
- Tired driving: People often drive drowsy or fall asleep at the wheel. When that happens, they lose control of the car, which can crash into another vehicle on the road, especially in cases involving head-on collisions at night.
- Speeding and reckless driving: Traffic accidents increase in severity with speed, and many injuries turn out to be fatal. This is especially true in New Mexico, which has some of the highest speed limits in the country. (The speed limit on some rural sections of New Mexico interstates is 75 mph.) Additionally, a driver’s reckless behavior, such as weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating, or ignoring traffic signals may have been the cause of your loved one’s death.
- Vehicle defects: The other driver may not have been at fault. In some cases, vehicle manufacturing defects can be the culprit in fatal car accidents. When this happens, you may sue the car manufacturer or distributor.
Where do most fatal car accidents occur? More traffic fatalities occur in urban areas than rural areas, in part because there are more pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users in cities. But a fatal accident can happen on any type of road, such as highways, busy city streets, and back roads. Negligent drivers can cause several types of accidents that can be fatal. These include head-on collisions, T-bone collisions, rear-end accidents, sideswipe crashes, and rollover accidents.
People can suffer a wide range of fatal injuries in a car accident. These include traumatic brain injury (TBI), internal bleeding, spinal cord injuries, and broken ribs that puncture the lung or another organ. In some cases, an injury is not fatal until some time after the accident.
What to do after losing a loved one in a crash
If you lost a loved one in a fatal car accident, you need a compassionate and competitive car accident attorney on your side. You may be eligible for a wrongful death claim. This means that if you are the deceased person’s closest surviving relative or estate, you may be entitled to financial compensation for:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Medical expenses accrued by the deceased person prior to his or her death
- Loss of earning potential or wages the deceased person would have earned
- Loss of support, guidance, and companionship the deceased person would have provided
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguished sustained by the deceased person’s relatives or estate
In order to file a wrongful death claim in New Mexico, you must take action within the statute of limitations, which is within three years of the death. This is due to New Mexico Statutes Annotated section 37-1-8. If you wait until after the three years to file lawsuit or claim, your claim will be denied.
But just because you have three years to take legal action after your loved one’s death doesn’t mean you should wait that long. Often, the evidence you need to build a strong legal case can be lost or destroyed long before then. This might include traffic camera footage and testimony from eyewitnesses who saw what happened. Don’t miss out on your opportunity for justice. Talk to lawyer at our law firm today.
Consult with an attorney you can trust
Attorney Andras Szantho has seen the pain and suffering families go through after losing a loved one. He understands that it’s not just about the money. It’s about holding negligent drivers accountable for their actions. During these difficult times, the last thing you need to deal with is an insurance company who is reluctant to treat you fairly.
That’s why attorney Szantho will work tirelessly to pursue justice for you and your family. He knows how insurance companies work and the dirty tricks they often use, even while a family is grieving the loss of a loved one. He has over ten years of experience representing families of fatal car accident victims in Albuquerque, Sante Fe, and other parts of New Mexico. When insurance companies refuse to do the right thing, he’ll gladly take them to trial.
To learn how the Szantho Law Firm can help, contact us today by calling toll free at 866-853-2462.