New Mexico Injury Lawyers

At Glasheen, Valles & Inderman Injury Lawyers, we have served the people of our state for over 35 years. We have a history of winning big for our clients and have the results to prove it. When you or a loved one has been hurt by someone in a wreck with an 18-wheeler truck, a car wreck, oilfield injury or a work injury, you can turn to an experienced New Mexico personal injury lawyer from GVILAW. We have a history of maximizing recoveries for clients.

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Common Examples of Personal Injury Cases

Our firm has a history of helping clients with personal injury cases. Below are just a few types of cases we focus on:

An 18-wheeler truck driver carelessly wrecks into you or a loved one’s car.
You are severely injured in a wreck with a drunk driver.
You are hit by a car while riding your motorcycle and suffer debilitating injuries.
A loved one is killed in a careless work injury on an oil rig.
A work injury such as a forklift causes brain injuries, broken bones or worse.

Our team of personal injury attorneys offers free case evaluations with a personal injury lawyer in New Mexico to discuss your options for seeking justice and reimbursement.

Potential Value of a Personal Injury Claim

Each case is unique, but regardless of the circumstances, your New Mexico personal injury attorney from our firm can help you calculate all your economic and non-economic damages for your claim.

When you discuss your story with our team of personal injury lawyers, we will carefully assess your situation to develop a clear picture of what happened and who is responsible. We will interview witnesses and experts. We will gather the necessary evidence to prove negligence and liability. We will fight hard to secure the compensation that meets your needs.

Supporting Your Claim

You can help your claim go more smoothly by following certain steps. These will aid you whether you file on your own or use the services of a lawyer. To support your claim, take these actions:

Take photos and video of your injuries, the accident scene, the person who hurt you, your clothing, and any personal property damage that occurred.
Seek medical attention and follow your doctor’s orders for further treatment.
Write down the time you miss from work and estimate your lost wages.
Track all expenses related to your injuries and property damage.
Avoid speaking with family and friends about the accident in case they are asked to give statements. These can be used against you.
Avoid posting on social media about the situation.
Consult with your lawyer before taking any further action or returning to work.

Statute of Limitations in New Mexico for Personal Injury Claims

The statute of limitations differs for each state and sets out the length of time you have to settle a claim or file a lawsuit. Wait too long, and you can lose your right to make a claim. Insurance claims must also be settled within the statute of limitations timeline.

New Mexico statute states that you have three years from the date of the accident to file. Your attorney can advise you on whether these differences apply to your case.

A New Mexico Personal Injury Attorney Strengthens Your Claim

There are many advantages to working with a personal injury lawyer in New Mexico. We understand the state’s laws as they apply to seeking compensation, who you can sue, and when you must file your claim. We specialize in building a strong case for both insurance claims and court trials. Regardless of how far you must go to win the reimbursement you deserve, Glasheen, Valles, & Inderman Injury Lawyers are here to support you.

We offer many valuable services to take the pressure off you so you can heal and recover. Our team of legal professionals is dedicated to giving each client superior care and guidance. Some of the ways we work to handle your case include:

Negotiating with insurance representatives to maximize your settlement
Connecting you with medical specialists to correctly diagnose your injuries
Hiring accident reconstruction experts for an independent assessment
Speaking with witnesses for their testimony
Accessing and analyzing photos and video of the incident
Using powerful evidence to demonstrate negligence and liability
Accessing medical, criminal, and driving records to demonstrate a history of reckless behavior

When there are multiple parties at fault, we work to determine how much liability each one bears. Working with more than one insurance company or lawyer can be very complicated, but we have years of experience in reaching agreements that maximize our clients’ recovery. Our team will not rest until those who hurt you have been held accountable.

Types of Injuries You Could Suffer

Some common examples of catastrophic injury include:

Amputation or loss of limbs
Bruising, tearing, or punctures to internal organs
Organ failure that requires removal or a transplant
Injuries to soft tissue, such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments
Spinal cord damage such as paraplegia, tetraplegia and hemiplegia
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

Workers’ Compensation vs. Personal Injury Third Party Claim

If you are injured in a work-related accident, your New Mexico company must supply worker’s compensation insurance if they employ three or more workers. This insurance is designed to pay for your medical bills and two-thirds of your wages while you are unable to work due to your injury. The coverage is meant to avoid expensive personal injury lawsuits.

However, if you were hurt on your job site by someone who does not work for your company, you may have a third-party claim. This could include vendors, visitors, product manufacturers, contractors, security companies, or maintenance workers. There are some situations where you could be able to file for workers’ compensation benefits while also seeking a civil suit against a third party. For these instances, it is best to consult with a personal injury lawyer to see if this applies to your case.

Insurance Claims in New Mexico

Some cases can easily be settled by negotiating with an insurance company for a settlement. If your injury puts you out of work for a few days but is not life-threatening or disabling, you may find that an insurance claim is the most satisfactory route. However, even filing a claim with your own insurer can have unexpected obstacles.

As mentioned before, insurance companies try to ensure you are being honest so they do not pay fraudulent claims. They also become very difficult to deal with because they know that every payout costs their company in profits. They will also use your statements against you to deny or reduce your settlement.

At Glasheen, Valles, & Inderman Injury Lawyers, we are skilled in negotiating the best settlement for you. We will fight for you to receive compensation in full.

Car Accidents in New Mexico

Injuries from car accidents can usually be handled by filing an insurance claim, but this depends on the extent of your injuries and damage. New Mexico law requires that all motorists carry a minimum amount of liability insurance. The minimum amounts are:

$25,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person
$50,000 for bodily injury to or death of two or more persons
$10,000 for property damage in any one accident.

Drivers must carry all three of these amounts. You can also choose to carry Uninsured Motorists Insurance in the event the person who hits you does not have coverage. This pays for your medical and property damage bills that an uninsured driver causes.

However, liability insurance does not pay for non-economic losses. If a driver carries only the minimum, it may not be enough to cover all your current and future bills. This is when you may choose to file a civil lawsuit.

When You Are Injured on Someone’s Property

Accidents that occur on another person’s property fall under the category of premises liability. In New Mexico, premises liability depends specifically on proving negligence, especially if the property owner knew or should have known about the hazard and failed to correct it. All New Mexico landowners owe a reasonable duty of care to anyone who enters their property unless the person is trespassing.

Premises liability also applies to situations such as animal attacks. If a dog is enclosed in a yard with warning signs, their owner is still at fault for any damage the dog causes if it escapes the yard. However, if you enter the yard without permission or attempt to pet the dog over the fence and are injured, it is unlikely that a court will decide in your favor.

Hire an Experienced New Mexico Injury Lawyer Today

No matter how you have been hurt by another person, you will benefit from expert advice from a qualified New Mexico injury lawyer. Our team will compassionately listen to your story and honestly assess your options for compensation. We will keep you updated at all times on your case and fight aggressively to secure the financial justice you deserve.

At GVILAW, we strive to surpass your expectations. Let us put our knowledge and skill to work for you. We have the resources and background to face the biggest insurance companies and get the settlement you need. We take cases on a contingency basis, so we do not get paid unless you win.

Contact us to schedule your free, no-risk, no-obligation consultation today. Or call our injury attorneys now, GVILAW attorneys are available 24 hours/ 7 days a week.

Our Team is Here to Help

Below is a list of some of the most-frequently-asked questions by our clients and prospective clients. If you still have any questions, feel free to contact us.

Why should I hire an attorney?
Potential defendants are usually covered by insurance. The insurance companies are notified immediately when an accident occurs, and they usually hire attorneys and expert witnesses to investigate the claim. It is important that witnesses be interviewed as soon as possible and evidence be preserved. Witnesses will often be more difficult to locate or will have a poor memory if they are interviewed much later after the accident has occurred. Evidence such as machinery parts or skid marks on the highway will disappear unless preserved quickly. Insurance companies have insurance adjusters who will contact you and try to be friendly. You should not trust the statements that insurance adjusters make to you. They are not working for you and will sometimes make misleading statements in an effort to trick you into resolving your case. Insurance adjusters also might record your conversations with them and use your statements against you in order to try to save money for the insurance companies.

The main thing we try to impress upon people is that it’s never too early to talk to an attorney, and it’s always too late. By that we mean that speaking with an attorney very soon after a crash or other accident in no way will harm you. Along the same lines, the longer you try to handle a claim on your own or delay hiring competent counsel, irreparable damage can be done in the form of recorded statements given to the insurance companies and evidence not being preserved. There is no risk or fee for speaking with an attorney and arranging an initial consultation.
How and when do I pay for a personal injury attorney?
Most personal injury attorneys work on what is called a contingency fee basis, which means that you pay the attorney only if and when the attorney has successfully made a recovery in your case, either by settlement or by winning a jury trial. Our philosophy is that clients have enough to worry about, so clients at Glasheen, Valles & Inderman never pay us a dime out of their pockets directly; when you’re case is finished, the insurance company sends a check to our law firm, we take our percentage fee from that check, and send the remainder to the client.

In the rare event we are unable to make a recovery on your case, you still don’t pay us a dime, and that even includes case costs, court costs, expert fees, and any advances. There is truly zero risk in hiring a personal injury law firm like Glasheen, Valles & Inderman.
What is my claim worth?
Personal injury claims are usually resolved by either settlement or by a jury. When a case is settled, it is the client’s decision of whether or not to accept a settlement offer. The lawyer will advise the client as to the potential value of the claim. Lawyers evaluate the potential value of a claim by predicting what a jury would do based on experience with similar claims.A jury can consider all sorts of damages in a personal injury case including medical expenses in the past and in the future, loss of earnings in the past and in the future as a result of the injury, physical pain and mental anguish in the past and in the future, compensation for impairment – that is loss of use, and disfigurement damages. The jury has discretion in awarding the sums. We can give you advice on the value of your claim based on our experience with some of our claims and similar jury results.
How long will my claim take to resolve?
The time it takes to resolve a personal injury claim depends very much on the type of case. We believe that it is important to prosecute claims as quickly and efficiently as possible. We usually like to have our client finish with their medical treatment so that we can fully and properly evaluate their injuries before we attempt to settle the claim. Sometimes we can assist a client with making advances to cover lost wages or living expenses while the client is waiting for the case to be resolved. Typically, automobile accident cases with fairly minor injuries can be resolved in about six months. More serious accident cases usually take anywhere from six months up to a year and a half or longer.
Will my case go to trial?
Whether a case goes to trial depends on dozens of factors, including your damages, the amount of insurance available, and the circumstances of the case. However, generally speaking, approximately 98% of personal injury cases settle without going to trial.