Car Accident Claims

If you or someone you care about has been injured in a car accident, there’s a good chance you’re torn about what to do next.

Should you (or your loved one) take the insurance money? How can you really know if you’re being fairly compensated?

At Whitener Law Firm, we know just how difficult it is to recover after a car accident, and not just from the injuries. Let our compassionate injury lawyers clarify your legal options so you can get the best outcome.

The initial call is always free and there are no obligations. Call 505-883-7877 and speak with our Albuquerque car accident lawyers to get started now.

Compensation Available to Car Accident Victims

Before you decide to accept an insurance offer, it’s important that you know what types of compensation may be available. In New Mexico, this includes both economic and noneconomic damages.

• Economic damages include hard, tangible expenses like medical bills, property damage, and reduced or lost wages.
• Noneconomic damages cover intangible losses like physical pain and mental anguish (i.e., depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, pain and suffering, etc.).

To know if the insurance company is making a fair offer, ask yourself a few questions:

• How will the victim’s daily routine change as a result of the accident?
• Will the injury impact relations at work or at home?
• How does the pain or injury affect sleep?
• How does the pain or injury affect hobbies or other lifestyle factors?
• How long will it take for the injury to heal?
• Will there be long-term health complications because of the pain or the injury?

There is no fixed standard for calculating compensation, despite what the insurance company may have told you. Excluding medical malpractice cases in New Mexico, there is no cap or limit to the noneconomic damages a victim may receive.

There is, however, a limit to economic damages in our state. In the event, the injured shares some fault for the accident, economic damages may be reduced. In New Mexico, this is known as pure comparative fault.

Pure comparative fault is a legal doctrine that limits the injured party’s compensation in proportion to their degree of fault. Unless a case settles first, a judge or jury will determine percentages of fault for each party.

Compensation is complicated! And since every car accident and injury is unique, it’s important to work with an Albuquerque injury attorney who has the foresight needed to help you get the compensation you deserve.

What To Do After A Car Accident

Dealing with the aftermath of a car accident is stressful, especially if it just happened. This is a pivotal time, to make sure your car accident claim is as strong as can be if you decided to file.

While we cover this topic in more detail in this blog post, the following steps will help you with your case regardless if you’re filing a car, truck, or motorcycle accident claim.

After an auto accident, you should:

• Check for injuries on yourself or passengers
• Make sure the road is clear
• Call 911 if it is an emergency situation
• Call The police
• Collect contact info from witnesses
• Take pictures of the accident

No matter what happened, do not admit fault. Telling the driver, police, or the insurance companies that you were even partially at-fault for the accident can torpedo your injury claim.

At Whitener Law, we’ve handled plenty of car accident cases and have seen a variety of situations. Do not hesitate to call our law firm in Albuquerque if you would like more info about hiring legal representation.

Get the Representation You Deserve

 Car accidents can be devastating to an unsuspecting victim and their family, and especially when they’re working through a claim without support or guidance.

 In most cases, injured victims receive more compensation when they work with an injury lawyer. More importantly, working with an attorney gives the injured time to rest and recover.

An experienced car accident attorney knows the insurance playbook and will negotiate for an outcome that’s in the client’s best interest.

 At Whitener Law Firm, we have a well-earned reputation for providing aggressive, quality representation that gets results. Plus, our team of personal injury lawyers work on a contingent-fee basis, which means you will not pay us anything unless we win your case.

 You have nothing to lose by calling. The initial call is free and there are no obligations. If you have questions about a car accident or settlement offer, we have answers and we want to help.

Call Whitener Law Firm at 505-883-7877 and schedule your free consultation with our Albuquerque car accident lawyers.