Santa Rosa Truck Accident Lawyers

New Mexico Truck Accident Attorneys Serving Injury Victims in Santa Rosa

Truck accidents in Santa Rosa are extremely serious, and many of them are deadly. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), large trucks require significantly more braking distance than smaller passenger vehicles, which means they can be involved in a rear-end collision when truckers do not leave sufficient following distance behind passenger vehicles. Passenger vehicles can also under ride a large truck when they follow too closely due to the greater ground clearance that large trucks have. Since big rigs also tend to weigh anywhere from 20 to 30 times as much as a passenger vehicle, a collision can crush and total a smaller car.

If you or a loved one recently sustained debilitating injuries in a collision, you should seek advice from one of the Santa Rosa truck accident lawyers at Caruso Law Offices, P.C. as soon as possible.

Steps to Take After a Santa Rosa Truck Accident

What should you do if you have been injured in a Santa Rosa truck accident? Consider the following steps to help ensure your ability to seek financial compensation for your losses with help from an experienced truck accident attorney in Santa Rosa:

• Obtain evidence: Gather as much information and evidence as you can at the scene of the accident. You should take pictures with your smart phone, and obtain names and contact information of anyone else involved in the collision or anyone who might have witnessed it.
• See a doctor: You need to seek medical attention after a truck accident. Many injury victims involved in truck collisions must be transported to a nearby hospital by first responders. Yet even if your injuries are not so severe that you require transport in an ambulance, you need to be assessed by a healthcare provider to identify any serious injuries and to be treated in a timely manner.
• Contact your insurance company: You will need to report the accident, but stick to the facts and do not offer any opinion about fault. Remember that the insurance company is not on your side.
• Reach out to a lawyer: You will want to have an experienced Santa Rosa truck accident lawyer to assist you with every step of your case, from filing an insurance claim to filing a lawsuit against the at-fault party or parties.

How Much Time Do I Have to File a Trucking Accident Lawsuit in Santa Rosa?

If you were injured in a Santa Rosa trucking accident and you plan to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver or other responsible parties, you need to be aware of the New Mexico personal injury statute of limitations.

According to New Mexico law, most truck accident victims have three years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit seeking financial compensation from the at-fault party or parties. As soon as three years have passed, however, the injury victim is no longer permitted to obtain compensation by filing a civil lawsuit. At that point, New Mexico law says that the claim has become time-barred. You want to make absolutely certain that you do not end up with a time-barred claim by getting in touch with a truck accident lawyer in Santa Rosa as soon as possible.

When You Need to File a Wrongful Death Claim After a Santa Rosa Truck Crash

You should know that the statute of limitations works slightly differently if you are making plans to sue an at-fault driver or other party because you lost a loved one in a truck crash. In such situations, you will need to learn more about filing a wrongful death lawsuit.

New Mexico law requires that the personal representative of the deceased’s estate be the party to file a wrongful death claim. The statute of limitations for a wrongful death lawsuit is still three years—as in a personal injury lawsuit—but the clock starts to tick on a different date. With a wrongful death claim, the clock begins ticking on the date of the deceased’s death. While many truck accident victims do sustain fatal injuries and pass away at the scene of the crash, others may survive for several days or weeks before ultimately succumbing to those injuries.

Learn More By Contacting a Santa Rosa Trucking Accident Lawyer

With years of experience serving injury victims in cases like yours, the Santa Rosa trucking accident lawyers at our firm know how to hold negligent truck drivers and trucking companies accountable for the harm they have caused. Contact Caruso Law Offices, P.C. to learn more about the services we provide to injury victims and their families in New Mexico.