Car accidents can be devastating. In a split second your vehicle is destroyed, your health is damaged, your life is changed forever. At first you feel the pain of your injuries, but as you calm down you begin to wonder how your family will survive financially. That's when a person begins to consider how to get money from a car accident in Santa Fe, NM.
Who's Responsible for Your Santa Fe Car Accident?
The first place to look for compensation are the drivers and owners of the other vehicles. If their car was operated in a negligent way, such as going through a light, hitting your car in the rear, going through a stop sign, you can collect money from their insurance company for damages you've suffered as a result of the accident. When a driver is negligent, it is possible to sue the owner of the vehicle as faulty maintenance may have played a part. If the accident was caused by a commercial driver “under the influence,” a claim can be made against his employer for negligent hiring if he had convictions on his record for priors DUI's. Sometimes it's possible to collect money even if no other car was involved. A one car accident might have been caused by faulty brakes that were installed at the factory or by a mechanic that installed them aftermarket. Broken seatbelts or airbags that fail to deploy can give rise to claims against manufacturers and maintenance companies. Many accidents are caused by defects in the roadway which is the responsibility of the municipality in charge of that road.
Types of Compensation for Santa Fe Car Accidents
These are the most common types of damages that car accident victims can collect:
● Payment of hospital bills
● Payment of doctors bills
● Payment for therapy and rehabilitation costs
● Payment for the cost of homecare of childcare
● Lost wages
● Future lost earnings
● Future medical costs
In order to collect damages, you must keep careful records of the costs you have incurred, and prove what those costs will continue to be in the future. Of course, you must also prove that the accident was caused by negligence as described in the paragraph above.
What If The Other Car Doesn't Have Insurance?
New Mexico requires vehicles to carry minimum coverage:
● $25,000 for liability for injuries for a single person
● $50,000 for liability for injuries of two or more persons
● $10,000 for property damage
Many accidents cause damages much higher than these minimums, which is why people carry “underinsured motorist coverage” which can compensate you for damages in excess of these limits. Sadly, there are cars on the road with lapsed policies or no insurance at all. In these cases you can make a claim against your own insurance, known as an “uninsured motorist” claim.
Do I Need A Lawyer To Get Money For A Santa Fe Car Accident?
Having an attorney is not required, but is by far the most effective way to get the compensation you deserve after a Santa Fe car accident. Insurance companies offer unrepresented claimants a small fraction of what they offer claimants with attorneys, sometimes only offering trivial sums such as $500. There are time limits that must be met, and it's necessary to prove both liability (why the accident was somebody else's fault) and the extent of the damages (with legally accepted proof.) An experienced Santa Fe car accident attorney can get you the money you deserve for the injuries you sustained in a car accident.
Contact Us Now
Contact us now for a free attorney consult on your personal injury case. If we take you case its done on a contingency basis and costs you nothing until we get you a settlement.