Santa Fe Motorcycle Accident Attorney
As a motorcyclist, you can take all the precautions you want, including wearing protective clothing and a helmet and doing your best to safely share the road with others.
However, one detail that you can’t control is how others act when sharing the road with you. If another motorist’s or someone else’s actions have hurt you or claimed the life of your loved one, you should speak with a Santa Fe motorcycle accident lawyer about your legal options.
While no amount of money is likely to help you restore your life to what it was like before your accident, it can ensure you get the best possible medical care for your injuries. That way you don’t have to continue struggling financially given your newfound impairments or loss of your loved one’s contributions to your household.
Speaking with a knowledgeable, compassionate attorney from our law office, Barrera Law Group LLC, about your right to take legal options to recover compensation is free.
So, if you’re ready to discuss your rights, reach out to us to do so now. We’re waiting for your call.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in New Mexico
According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and in our experience as attorneys who help motorists who suffer serious injuries in crashes, we often find that the following are the most common contributing factors that result in these accidents:
- Failure to yield to the right of way
- Driving under the influence (DUI)
- Failures to visualize the motorcyclist
- Following too close (tailgating)
- Distracted driving
- Speeding and delayed braking
- Mechanical issues, often caused by manufacturing defects or poor maintenance
- Unsafe lane changes
Injuries Motorcyclists Suffer in Santa Fe
Just like there are many different ways crashes involving motorcycles can occur, there’s a wide range of injuries that may result from them. Some of the most serious injuries motorcyclists have to concern themselves with include:
- Broken bones, especially involving the leg, arm, and ankle
- Road rash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Blunt force trauma to the head leading to traumatic brain injury (TBI) diagnoses
What To Do After You’re Involved in a Motorbike Crash
Of course, your priority should be reporting your wreck to the police and requesting for paramedics to be sent to the scene to assess your injuries and transport you to the hospital if you’re experiencing an emergency.
Even if you opt not to take an ambulance, you should still visit an emergency room or urgent care clinic to have a doctor check you out to ensure you’re not suffering from any injuries that may only show symptoms once they’ve caused harm or are too late to treat.
You should take whatever medications your physician prescribes and continue treating with doctors per their orders until you’re told that you no longer require their care. After seeking medical treatment, you’ll want to report your accident to your insurance company. Just be careful to stick only to the facts when you do. Avoid speculating about what happened.
If doctors have diagnosed you with a serious medical ailment or you lost a family member in a motorcycle crash, consulting with a Santa Fe motorcycle accident lawyer should be your next step.
Why?
Sorting out liability can be challenging but is critical in an at-fault state like New Mexico when you’re trying to secure compensation from the party who caused a collision.
Plus, our state is a pure comparative negligence state, meaning if you’re deemed to be at all responsible for causing the crash, any amount you may be able to recover for your damages may be reduced by the percentage of fault you shared for it.
You can expect any attorney you speak with to advise you of the rights that personal injury victims, like you, have in most cases. This may include filing an insurance claim or lawsuit.
Types of Compensation Available to Motorcycle Accident Victims
If you’re deemed eligible to take legal action, you can expect your lawyer to prepare a demand letter to send to the party responsible for causing the crash.
They’ll typically calculate all of your expenses and take into account the losses that you sustained in your motorbike accident in Santa Fe when coming up with the amount to request on your behalf.
Those economic losses that we request compensation for include:
- Medical bills, including ones associated with your emergency room visit, surgery costs, a hospital stay, follow-up doctors’ visits, physical therapy, and prescription drug costs
- Missed pay, including income you’ve already lost and any lost wages you’re expected to have in the future
- Funeral and burial or cremation costs
We also request compensation for noneconomic losses like:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Mental anguish
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of companionship or consortium
What Is the Statute of Limitations that Applies to Motorcycle Accidents in Santa Fe
Since a motorbike crash is a type of personal injury incident, the same three-year time limit applies to cases like this. There are some exceptions to the rule that apply to minors hurt in accidents or those who experience an onset of injuries sometime after their crash or when death results.
So, this should explain why working with an attorney who knows the ins and outs regarding deadlines to file claims or lawsuits is important.
Filing on time is imperative. Otherwise, you may lose your ability to do so forever.
How We Can Help You If as a Hurt Motorcyclist
As someone who’s suffered serious injuries in a motorbike crash, we’re sure you have a lot of questions about how you’re going to pay your medical bills, recoup your lost wages, and address your future needs.
We’re also sure you may want to get insurance company adjusters to stop calling so you can focus on getting better.
A Santa Fe motorcycle accident lawyer can not only answer your questions but if you hire us, make sure you don’t have to receive another insurer call again.
Reach out to us at Barrera Law Group LLC to discuss your accident, injuries, financial losses, and prognosis, and we’ll tell you what options you have for restoring a sense of normalcy and financial safety to your life.