While New Mexico has made significant progress in reducing drunk driving fatalities in the state in the last several years, there are still far too many drunk drivers on the road. Impaired driving is a criminal offense in New Mexico, as it is in other states, punishable by fines, loss of a license, and jail time. However, if you are injured in a crash caused by a drunk driver, the drunk driver’s punishment will do very little to help you recover from your injuries. What you need is a fair settlement from his or her insurance company. Our Albuquerque personal injury attorneys fight for victims of drunk driving crashes to help them get the recovery they deserve.
What You Need To Know After You've Been Injured in a New Mexico Drunk Driving Accident
Of course, you want to see the drunk driver who totaled your car and left you seriously injured punished by the law, but you also want him to be held accountable for your losses. By filing a claim with his insurance company, you should recover the following:
- Payment of medical expenses. Drunk driving crashes are often catastrophic due to the complete lack of control of the impaired driver. Resulting injuries can be severe. A settlement from the drunk driver’s insurance company should be enough to cover all of your medical expenses, from the time of the accident through your complete recovery.
- Lost wages. If you are unable to work while you are recovering, you should be entitled to lost wage benefits. This should pay you back for wages you were unable to earn as well as for sick or vacation time you were forced to take.
- Pain and suffering damages. While more difficult to calculate than economic damages, these are important damages to fight for. You can be compensated for the physical pain you have experienced due to your injuries, as well as the emotional pain you have suffered because of the trauma of the accident.
- Other losses. If a loved one was killed by a drunk driver, surviving family members can be compensated for the losses they have suffered and the losses they face in the future because of the death of a provider.
While you deserve to be fully compensated, you may only be able to recover the amount of the drunk driver’s insurance policy limits, regardless of your actual losses. A personal injury attorney will send a demand letter to the insurance company and, if an acceptable settlement is not offered, can take the insurer to court to fight for what you deserve.
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