While you may have an excellent driving record and always follow traffic regulation, nothing can protect you from the actions of other careless or reckless drivers. A rear-end collision can cause you severe injuries, resulting in unexpected medical bills, time off work, and even permanent impairments. You should not have to be solely responsible for these injury-related expenses.
An Albuquerque rear-end collisions lawyer can:
- Help determine the validity of your personal injury claim
- Identify the responsible parties
- Work toward getting you compensation for your injuries
At Ben Crump Law, PLLC, we represent injury victims in accident claims on a daily basis. We know that a serious accident can have a devastating effect on your family finances and we do not expect you to pay for legal fees upfront. We will not collect any fees from you until you have received compensation for your losses.
Give us a call at (800) 598-7557 to learn more about your legal rights following a rear-end collision.
What You Should Know About Rear-End Collisions
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that from 2012 to 2014, almost half of the crashes involving two vehicles resulted from rear-end collisions. In each of these years, more than 1,700 people died in these types of collisions. Rear-end collisions can be the source of catastrophic injuries, some of which prove to be fatal. When negligent persons cause these crashes, you can take steps to hold such individuals accountable for their wrongful actions.
For a free legal consultation with a rear-end collisions lawyer serving Albuquerque, call 800-959-1444
How Your Accident May Have Occurred
Most car accident claims rely on a legal theory of negligence, or the failure of a driver to exercise reasonable care in driving to keep others safe. All drivers owe this legal duty of care to others on New Mexico roadways, which includes complying with all traffic rules and regulations. When a driver violates this duty of care and directly causes injuries to others, the driver may face liability or financial responsibility for the resulting injuries.
One example of driver negligence that leads to rear-end collisions occurs when drivers fail to leave a sufficient amount of space between their vehicle and the vehicle in front of them. When drivers follow other vehicles too closely, the risk of a rear-end collision is high. Vehicles need adequate space between each other to stop, especially when travelling at high speeds.
Another example of driver negligence that might cause a rear-end collision includes drivers who are speeding and unable to stop in time to avoid hitting the vehicles in front of them. Drivers also might be negligent in causing rear-end crashes if they are not paying attention or distracted while driving.
A Lawyer Will Prove Negligence in Your Accident Case
Injury victims must prove not only that the other driver was negligent in causing the accident, but also that they suffered injuries and other losses due to the accident. Such crashes can cause bodily injuries, property damage to vehicles and other related losses—such as a loss of income while unable to work.
Consulting an Albuquerque rear-end collisions lawyer about your situation may be an effective way to determine whether you have a valid legal claim to pursue against the other driver.
Albuquerque Rear-End Collisions Lawyer Near Me 800-959-1444
Comparative Negligence Under State Law May Prove Relevant to Your Circumstances
In some cases, drivers injured in rear-end collisions may be partially at fault for their injuries. For instance, if vehicles have no operable tail lights, the drivers may be liable if the cars behind them are unable to avoid hitting them when they stop. With no tail lights to indicate a sudden stop, the injured driver may share some fault for causing the accident.
Likewise, if the driver in front suddenly accelerates in reverse for some reason, a rear-end collision is likely to occur. However, the injured drivers may be partially or wholly at fault for causing the accident, due to their unexpected reverse movement.
NM Stat § 41-3A-1 provides for a pure comparative negligence doctrine when more than one driver is at fault for an accident, in which a driver or passenger suffers injuries. Drivers who are partially at fault for the accident that led to their injuries, no matter their degree of fault, can at least partially recover compensation for their injuries.
For example, if a driver is 30% at fault for an accident and suffered $10,000 worth of losses due to his injuries, he can obtain compensation from the other at-fault driver, but can only recover 70% of his total losses. He must pay for the 30% of his damages for which he is responsible.
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Get Legal Advice After a Rear-End Collision
After you suffer severe injuries in a rear-end crash, you likely are not thinking about getting legal assistance. However, as medical bills begin to pile up and you are unable to work, you may wonder who will pay for all these unexpected expenses. If other drivers were at fault for causing your rear-end collision, then they also should be responsible for paying for your injury-related costs.
An Albuquerque rear-end collisions lawyer can help individuals build a claim for compensation against those who are responsible for their losses arising from the accident. Ben Crump Law, PLLC is devoted to representing your interests and getting fair recovery in your case, based on your circumstances.
We can investigate your situation, document your expenses related to your injuries, and present your claim to the insurance company for the responsible parties. While you focus on healing from your accident, we will focus on the recovery of your financial losses.
Call (800) 598-7557 and learn more about the legal services that we have to offer you.
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