Not surprisingly, most of our new car accident clients want to know how long it will take to resolve their claim so they can get the money they need to pay their medical bills and get back to their normal lives—as much as that’s possible.
While it’s difficult to say exactly how long a case will take, we assure our clients that our experienced Albuquerque car accident lawyers will do everything we can to resolve the claim as efficiently as possible without rushing the process and compromising the outcome.
There are also steps you can take—starting right after the accident—that will help your claim progress smoothly.
Elements of a Successful New Mexico Car Accident Claim
A car accident claim will conclude more quickly if it is a strong case to begin with. Some factors our personal injury lawyer says can strengthen a claim include:
- Serious injuries. Compensation is awarded in a car accident claim to make up for losses you have suffered. If the injuries you sustained in the crash were catastrophic and required emergency care, surgery, rehabilitation, or caused a permanent disability, your claim for damages would be very convincing.
- Clear evidence of fault. If the police issued a ticked to the other driver or there is other clear evidence that the other driver was 100 percent at fault in the crash, the insurance adjuster or judge determining the outcome of the claim will have no doubt that they were at fault.
- Witnesses and documentation. Additional evidence to strengthen your claim, such as eyewitness statements, convincing medical records, a police accident report, and evidence of financial and emotional suffering, will help the claim move along quickly.
- Good insurance coverage. In most cases, a car crash claim is only worth as much as the at-fault driver’s liability coverage. If the driver has an insurance policy that exceeds the state’s minimum requirements and is sufficient to cover your losses, the claim can be resolved quickly. If we have to seek other sources of compensation—such as the driver’s personal assets—the case will take a lot longer to settle.
It’s not essential for your accident claim to have all of these factors to be successful. While they will probably speed up the process, our team will work with the realities of your case to get you the best possible outcome. Regardless of the facts of the case, there are also steps you can take to help us help you.
Tips for Resolving Your Claim Quickly and Efficiently
We encourage all accident victims to be proactive in the aftermath of the crash in order to protect their potential claim for damages. When you are in shock after a crash, it can be hard to think rationally about a future insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit. However, if you take these simple steps, you could maximize your compensation and significantly speed up the process:
- Get medical c are. The sooner after the accident you see a doctor, the more it will support your claim that you were injured in the crash. If you are not taken to the ER from the scene, go to urgent care or your own doctor as soon as possible after the crash. This will ensure that there is medical documentation of your injuries.
- Do not talk to the other driver. The less you say to the other driver after the crash, the better. It is human nature to apologize, even for things that are not our fault. On the other hand, being aggressive toward the other driver could provide evidence that you were not seriously hurt. It is best to wait for the police to arrive and only communicate with them.
- Do not deal with the insurance company. While you should report the accident to your own insurance company, say as little as possible about what happened to the insurance company for the other driver. When they contact you, confirm your identity and tell them you will be contacting a lawyer.
- Stay off of social media. Do not post anything about the crash on social media, and avoid posting anything at all about your activities until the case is resolved. Insurance adjusters for the at-fault driver could use photos and posts as evidence that you are not seriously injured.
Finally, contact the car accident legal team at Keller & Keller in Albuquerque as soon as possible.
