Ruidoso, NM Car Accident Lawyer

How a Ruidoso, NM Car Accident Lawyer From Harmonson Law Firm Can Help

Ruidoso is a charming New Mexico mountain town that provides a wide range of enjoyable experiences for visitors and residents alike. Despite this, car accidents occur in Ruidoso just as they occur in any other city or town. You may be visiting the town when you are hit by another driver, or you could be a resident, perhaps on your way to pick up your children from school, when the negligence of another driver leaves you seriously injured. 

All drivers have a duty of care to other drivers. This duty of care means that every driver must follow all laws and safety rules of the road to avoid harming others. When this duty of care is breached, the negligent driver’s insurance company must pay for the damage done to others. Unfortunately, the goal of all insurance companies is to pay out as little as possible on every claim so that their end-of-year financial bottom line continues to increase. When you attempt to negotiate with the insurance company on your own, they have little respect for your injuries or how those injuries can affect your physical, financial, and emotional future. 

Once you have the Harmonson Law Firm on board, this lack of respect is no longer present. Insurance companies know that our firm is experienced, knowledgeable, skilled, and highly tenacious on behalf of our clients. If an insurer refuses to pay a settlement that fully covers your damages, we will never hesitate to file a lawsuit and argue your case in court. Usually, the very act of filing a lawsuit is enough to convince the insurance company that it is in their best interests to pay what your claim is worth, but if this is not the case, then we are fully prepared to go to trial. 

If you believe that a smaller law firm that knows your name and offers highly individualized service is preferable, but you are also seeking the resources and experience of a larger law firm, Harmonson Law Firm can give you all of these things and more. We help good people who have been injured in bad accidents get the medical help and financial assistance that they need and deserve following a Ruidoso, NM car accident. 

Explanation of Potential Damages Following a Ruidoso Car Accident

Depending on the circumstances surrounding your car accident, you could be entitled to the following damages:

Pain and suffering damages may include actual physical pain as well as emotional pain and trauma such as PTSD, depression, and chronic anxiety. Your Harmonson Law Firm attorney can accurately calculate your damages using all of the resources that we have at our disposal. 

New Mexico Car Accident Laws that Could Potentially Affect Your Claim

The state of New Mexico has a three-year statute of limitations for auto accidents. This means that you have three years from the date of your auto accident to file a claim against the at-fault party. If you get into a car accident with a government vehicle, like a police car or a city owned bus, the time to file a claim could be dramatically shorter.  In those cases, it is even more important to contact a lawyer after the accident.  New Mexico is considered a “fault” state, which means that the driver who causes an accident (or his or her insurance company) is responsible for the damages that result. As a pure comparative negligence state, even if you were partially to blame for the accident, you can still file a compensation claim. Any settlement or award you receive will be reduced by your percentage of fault. 

What Should You Do Following a Ruidoso Car Accident?

Getting medical attention is always the most important step you must take following a car accident. The rush of adrenaline you get during an accident often masks injury symptoms, so you should always be checked out at the hospital or urgent care in your area. The police and emergency services should also be called right away. Obtaining a police report can be helpful in indicating fault in the accident.

If there were witnesses to the accident, get their contact information and snap some photos of the accident scene with your cell phone. Once you are home, contact your own insurance company and give them the basic facts of the accident, then contact an experienced Ruidoso, NM car accident lawyer from Harmonson Law Firm. Local resources that could be helpful include:

• Ruidoso Police Department—1085 Mechem Drive, Ruidoso, NM 88345/ (915) 233-6427
• Ruidoso Fire Department—541 Sudderth Drive, Ruidoso, NM 88345/ (915) 233-6427
• Ruidoso Urgent Care—159 Mescalero Trail, Ruidoso, NM 88345/ (915) 233-6427
• Lincoln County Medical Center (Hospital)—211 Sudderth Drive, Ruidoso, NM 88345/ (915) 233-6427