Santa Fe Car Accident Lawyer

Santa Fe Car Accident Attorney

Car accidents happen every day in New Mexico, and even safe drivers can be injured in accidents caused by other drivers. If someone else was at fault for your accident, you have the right to file a claim against them to seek compensation. For the optimal chance of a successful car accident claim, you’ll want to hire a Santa Fe car accident lawyer to represent you.

At Egolf + Ferlic + Martinez + Harwood, LLC, we can work with you to craft a legal strategy that will help you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries, lost wages, and damage to the vehicle.

Can Egolf + Ferlic + Martinez + Harwood, LLC, Help Me After a Car Accident?

Our team is composed of several lawyers with experience and insight in dealing with personal injury and car accident cases. We understand how devastating a car accident can be, and we advocate fiercely for our clients’ needs.

Our lawyers have been nationally recognized with Super Lawyer awards and have been named among the Top 100 National Trial Lawyers in the country. With such qualifications, our legal team can aggressively pursue the maximum compensation you’re owed.

New Mexico Car Accidents: The Basics

New Mexico is an at-fault state when it comes to traffic collisions. This law means you can file a claim against another person if they were partially or entirely at fault for your accident. States without at-fault legislation only allow drivers to go through their own insurance except in the most extreme situations.

You shouldn’t have to pay for the expenses of an accident you didn’t cause, and by filing insurance and personal injury claims, you won’t have to. Car accidents can result in a multitude of costs, from property damage to doctor’s visits and pain and suffering, so compensation is crucial for financial stability.

Some of the most common reasons a person may be responsible for a car accident include:

• Driving under the influence: By driving on the road, you make an agreement to be sober. If you fail to protect yourself and others due to drinking and driving or using drugs, you are likely at fault for the accident.
• Distracted driving: With the electronic equipment in cars today, it’s easier than ever to be the victim of distracted driving. If you can prove the other driver was distracted by the settings on a touchscreen or using their phone, you will likely be able to seek compensation after a crash.
• Reckless driving: Drivers need to follow the rules of the road at all times. This includes signaling for turning, yielding to the right of way, and driving under the speed limit, among other rules. Reckless driving is one of the most common reasons for a car accident, and it makes a driver culpable for an accident.

What Are the Most Common Types of Santa Fe Car Accidents?

Car accidents come in many forms, which all lead to different risks. Some of the most common types of car accidents in Santa Fe include:

• Head-on collisions: Some of the most deadly accidents, head-on collisions occur when two cars strike each other head-on. You most often see a head-on collision after one driver crosses over the dividing line into the opposing lane of traffic. These accidents can lead to severe injury and death, as they are often high-speed.
• Rollovers: Rollovers are more common in cars with higher centers of gravity, and they can often be dangerous to anyone in the vehicle. You’ll see rollovers when a crash occurs through a sharp turn or curve.
• Side-impact: You probably know these as T-bone accidents, as the cars will resemble a letter T after the collision. These incidents are dangerous to whichever side takes the brunt of the force, as the opposing car can smash into the driver or passenger side and pin body parts in the wreckage.
• Rear-end: One of the most common forms of car crash, a rear-end crash often occurs when a trailing car follows too closely. These accidents often cause neck injuries, as they cause the victim’s head to snap forward and back quickly. While not as commonly fatal, rear-end accidents can cause major injuries if both cars are traveling fast enough.

Regardless of the type of accident, you’ll want to have a doctor examine you as soon as you can. You might not know you are injured until you let a medical professional conduct a thorough examination. An exam after an accident can also provide the documentation you’ll need to present as evidence of your injuries.

Typical Injuries From Car Accidents

There are many types of injuries victims might suffer as a result of the many types of car accidents. This is, of course, not a comprehensive list of every injury that can occur after an accident, but it should serve as a checklist of things to watch for after a crash.

Some of the most common injuries we see after an auto collision include:

• Traumatic brain injuries: During a car accident, your head will likely whip around forcefully. There are many unpadded surfaces to hit in a car, even if your airbags deploy. However, your head doesn’t have to hit anything to cause a traumatic brain injury like a concussion or brain bleed and leave you with the potential for necessary lifetime medical treatment for the injury.
• Broken bones: Broken bones are a common injury after a car accident. With the collapsing metal and hard surfaces of your car, your arm or leg might strike something, causing a broken bone. While these are not often fatal, they can take time to recover from, leaving you out of work for a period. If anything hurts after your accident or you have sharp pains, it might be a bone break.
• Internal injuries: As one might expect, detecting an internal injury isn’t easy for a layperson to do. If you suspect you have some kind of internal injury, you will want to speak with your doctor about an MRI or CAT scan to see if any of your organs suffered damage. These injuries are life-threatening if you don’t handle them quickly.
• Cuts: Broken glass will fly through the air after your car accident, and it can lead to severe lacerations. While a few scrapes aren’t worrying, severe lacerations will require stitches and time to heal.
• Burns: There may be a fire if your car is severely damaged in the crash. Burns can linger and require skin grafts to fix your outward appearance. These procedures require a significant amount of money and time, making it necessary to seek compensation for the injury. Severe burns can even leave victims permanently disfigured and disabled.
• Spinal injuries: Your spine affects nearly every part of your body and helps you control your movements. Any force to your back might leave you with a spinal injury, and even minor damage to the spine can leave you with decreased motor functions. Severe injury can often result in temporary or permanent paralysis.

What Should I Do After a New Mexico Car Accident?

The most important thing to remember after an accident is to remain calm. You’ll need to keep your wits about you and follow the proper procedure after your accident to give yourself the greatest chance at succeeding in your claim against another driver.

Immediately after the accident, you need to assess any medical risks or injuries for anyone involved. If someone needs to go to the hospital, call an ambulance as soon as possible and get them emergency medical treatment. Any second you waste puts the victim in danger, so you need to make checking on everyone’s health a top priority. Of course, if your injuries are severe, you may be unable to do this.

After you tend to any substantial injuries, you’ll want to call the police and wait for them at the scene. While you wait, you should exchange information with anyone else involved in the accident, including insurance and contact information.

Take pictures of the accident and any injuries you might have. You’ll want shots of the scene as well. Don’t be afraid to take too many pictures, as your lawyer can use them all as evidence.

When the police arrive, give them the details of the situation, but be mindful not to admit to any fault. Don’t even try to apologize for the accident, as someone could use this against you in court. Plainly state the facts, and do not embellish or editorialize.

Finally, you’ll want to seek medical attention for a checkup to ensure you don’t have any internal injuries or broken bones. Contact an attorney as soon as you can after the accident to begin the formal process of filing a claim.

What Compensation Can I Expect After a Car Accident in Santa Fe?

Since New Mexico is an at-fault state, you can file an insurance claim with the at-fault party’s insurance. If the other party has insurance, it will likely help you pay for some of your medical bills and other expenses, but it will rarely cover everything. You’ll want to file a personal injury claim to take care of the rest of your bills.

The most common type of compensation from an auto accident is the victim receiving payment for their medical bills from the at-fault motorist. This could be for past medical bills after the crash or any future medical attention you’ll need due to a long-term injury. For instance, if you need a prescription to manage chronic pain, you can attempt to have the other driver pay for your expenses.

Aside from medical bills, you can seek compensation for your lost wages while you recover from the injury. If you can’t work due to your injury, the at-fault driver will be responsible for paying a portion of your normal salary while you recover. It’s also possible for a car accident to permanently disable you, preventing you from ever returning to work in the same capacity. In these cases, you can be compensated for lost earning capacity.

You can also seek compensation for pain and suffering. These damages cover any emotional distress and discomfort you suffered as a result of the accident. An experienced car accident lawyer can help calculate the compensation you deserve for your pain and suffering.

Should I Hire an Attorney When Filing a Claim After an Auto Accident?

While it is possible to litigate an auto accident claim on your own, it’s not recommended for a layperson. While you may think you have a thorough legal strategy planned out, it is difficult to prove your case in court. A judge will expect you to have the same level of knowledge as an attorney, so it’s better to retain someone who has that knowledge.

Your attorney will review the evidence and give you an unbiased view of the smartest plan for your case. In some cases, it may be better to take a deal and avoid a lengthy trial, while other cases might demand litigation. Your lawyer will give you advice on what path to take and allow you to make informed decisions.

You will also be dealing with emotions and physical pain following your accident. You likely won’t have the time or inclination to learn about complicated case law and precedents. Also, your emotional ties to the case may cloud your judgment and lead you to make a mistake an attorney would help you avoid.

Hiring an attorney gives you the greatest odds of receiving the compensation you need to ease the financial burden on you and your family.

Egolf + Ferlic + Martinez + Harwood, LLC: Experienced Santa Fe Car Accident Lawyers

Physically recovering from an auto accident is extremely difficult, but the financial burdens can make the situation even worse. If someone caused an auto accident that left you injured, we can help. At Egolf + Ferlic + Martinez + Harwood, LLC, we have extensive experience assisting clients in getting the help and compensation they need after a car accident.

If you need legal counsel, we can help. Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation and learn more about the services we offer.