Were you hurt in a car accident with a reckless or negligent driver in Albuquerque? If so, you are not alone. The Albuquerque Journal reported that a study determined that New Mexico has the second-worst drivers in the country.
Not all car accidents involve clear-cut fault. Many crashes can have two or more motorists who are all accusing each other of causing a collision. Disputes about liability become important when determining how compensation will be allocated in these types of cases.
Anyone who was injured in a motor vehicle wreck in Albuquerque should not underestimate the importance of working with an attorney in these situations. An experienced car crash lawyer could make the difference between timely and proper compensation and struggling for months or years to recover anything with the possibility of having a claim denied.
If you suffered serious injuries or your loved one was killed in a car crash in Albuquerque or surrounding areas of New Mexico, do not wait to contact Parnall Law. Our firm has recovered millions of dollars for our clients. We are ready to put our experience to work for you.
We provide a 100 percent client service satisfaction guarantee, so you can take your file if you are not completely satisfied with how we treat you and your case in the first 30 days. Call us or contact us online now to schedule a free consultation.
Common Types of Accidents and Injuries in Albuquerque
In most cases, the type of accident a person is involved in is determined by the point of impact. Head-on collisions involve two cars striking front end to front end. Rear-end accidents occur when one driver hits the rear of another vehicle. Side-impact collisions are when vehicles strike either side of another car.
Some collisions are more complicated because they involve multiple vehicles, such as pileups on highways. Other accidents can be entirely isolated incidents, such as vehicle rollovers.
All accidents carry the risk of causing debilitating injuries for the people involved. Some of the most common kinds of injuries people suffer in accidents in New Mexico include:
- Fractures
- Neck injuries
- Lacerations
- Whiplash
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Nerve damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Paralysis
- Soft tissue injuries
- Head injuries
- Burn injuries
Some accidents result in a person sustaining fatal injuries. The family members of the deceased person can usually file a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent parties in such cases.
Most Common Causes of Car Accidents in New Mexico
Car crashes can occur because of any number of driver errors or poor decisions. Some are easier to identify and prove than others.
When one driver takes an action that places other people at risk, that person is usually considered negligent. Some of the most frequent examples of negligence involved in car accident claims include:
- Speeding
- Driver fatigue
- Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs
- Reckless driving
- Distracted driving
- Failure to yield
- Unsafe lane change
- Improper turns
- Tailgating
- Dangerous roadway
- Inclement weather
Keep in mind that New Mexico is a pure comparative fault state, which means that a person can recover damages from another party regardless of their own negligence. The victim’s jury award could be reduced by their percentage of negligence, however.
New Mexico Car Accident Cause Statistics
According to the New Mexico Department of Transportation Traffic Crash Annual Report, a motor vehicle accident occurred every 12 minutes and a person was injured in a crash every 26 minutes. A motorcycle was involved in a crash every eight hours, a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle every 14 hours, a bicyclist was hit by a vehicle every 24 hours, and a person was killed in a crash every 22 hours.
There were 45,071 crashes in New Mexico in a single recent year. Those crashes injured 20,494 people and killed 405 people. The 405 fatalities, 4,752 suspected minor injuries, and 14,589 possible injuries were the highest totals since 2012.
The top 10 contributing factors in total crashes in New Mexico were:
- Driver inattention with 9,461 cases (21.0 percent)
- Failure to yield right of way with 6,196 cases (13.7 percent)
- Following too closely with 5,202 cases (11.5 percent)
- Excessive speed with 2,370 cases (5.3 percent)
- Alcohol or drug-involved with 2,339 cases (5.2 percent)
- Disregarded traffic signal with 2,080 cases (4.6 percent)
- Other improper driving with 1,410 cases (3.1 percent)
- Improper turns with 1,324 cases (2.9 percent)
- Speeding too fast for conditions with 1,256 cases (2.8 percent)
- Improper backing with 1,160 cases (2.6 percent)
The top contributing factors in fatal crashes were:
- Alcohol or drug-involved in 180 cases (49.9 percent)
- Excessive speed in 39 cases (10.8 percent)
- Driver inattention in 29 cases (8.0 percent)
- Drove left of center in 16 cases (4.4 percent)
- Pedestrian error in 11 cases (3.0 percent)
- Other improper driving in 10 cases (2.8 percent)
- Speeding too fast for conditions in 10 cases (2.8 percent)
Among holiday periods, Halloween had the highest rate of crashes per day with 132.9, followed by Columbus Day with 119.1, Veterans’ Day with 108.0, and Balloon Fiesta with 104.1. Columbus Day and Labor Day had the highest total fatalities with 10 each, but Columbus Day had five alcohol-involved fatalities compared to Labor Day’s four.
Contact Car Accident Attorney in Albuquerque Today
Did you sustain catastrophic injuries or was your loved one killed in a car accident in New Mexico? Make sure you contact Parnall Law as soon as possible.
Our firm has a record of success that includes $4 million recovered for a client who suffered a fractured skull, spine, pelvis, and ribs as well as a ruptured spleen and TBI in a drunk driving collision. You can have our lawyers review your case when you call us or contact us online to receive a free consultation.
