Call (800) 863-5312 to Speak with a Las Cruces Personal Injury Attorney for Free
If you have been injured in an accident, you may feel overwhelmed and have many questions:
- How will I pay for my medical bills?
- How does the legal process work?
- Is the insurance company offering me a fair settlement?
These are important questions, and the personal injury attorneys at Zinda Law Group of Las Cruces can provide you answers.
Our experienced Las Cruces injury lawyers want to help you relieve the stress and financial burdens that come with being an accident victim. Our accident attorneys can take over the entire legal process on your behalf so you can focus on what’s most important: your recovery.
We can help you understand your legal rights and answer any questions you may have about your case or our firm. Call us today at (800) 863-5312 today to receive a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our personal injury lawyers in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
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Send Request NowWhat Is Personal Injury?
Personal injury is a catch-all term for all injuries that can occur to the person. Thus, damages to a non-human entity such as a building would not fall under the definition of personal injury. Every personal injury claim has two basic parts: liability and damages.
Liability describes whether a person who caused the injury is responsible for the injury. For instance, in most personal injury cases, a victim must show that the person who caused the injury actually owed a duty of care to the victim in order to prove that the person is liable.
Damages is another term for compensation. It is generally the amount of money the person liable for the injury owes the victim. For example, if you get involved in a car accident, and you are able to prove that the other driver caused the accident negligently, then the other driver may have to pay for your medical expenses as damages.
In order for a victim to be successful in his or her personal injury claim, he or she must prove that the other party that caused his or her injuries was negligent. In order to prove that the other party was negligent, the victim must prove the following:
- That the offending party owed him or her a legal duty
- That the offending party breached that legal duty
- That he or she was injured
- That the breach of the legal duty caused his or her injury
Common Injuries in Our Cases
- Broken bones
- Scarring
- Disfigurement
- Burns
- Brain damage
- Internal bleeding
No matter the type of accident you suffered, if your injuries were caused by the negligence of another person or company, our Las Cruces injury lawyers can help. We have experience handling cases big and small and can help you get back on your feet after an accident.
What to Do After Being Injured in an Accident
1. Seek Medical Attention
After being injured in an accident, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Your health is your number one priority. Do not think that just because you feel fine after an injury that you do not need to go to the hospital. Often, the adrenaline in your blood after an accident will mask the pain after an accident. It is important that you visit the hospital to make sure that you are indeed fine. There have been many cases where a victim thinks he or she is fine after an accident, only to later suffer the effects of the injury because he or she did not visit the hospital.
2. Report the Accident
After an accident, you should report the accident to the police. The police will generally write a report of the accident. This report often determines who was at fault, which will be key if you decide to file a claim.
Learn More: How to Get a Crash Report in Las Cruces
3. Document the Accident
When you file a personal injury claim, you have the burden of proof to show that you deserve compensation because the other party was negligent. This means that you must present evidence that the negligent party was indeed negligent. To show this you must substantiate your claim with evidence. Evidence can be photographs, medical bills, witness statements, and the like.
You should always keep any medical bills and any other evidence of expenses that you incurred because of your injuries. Furthermore, you should collect your pay stubs and the like if you have been unable to work as a result of your injuries.
Witness testimony is often key in personal injury cases. If there were witnesses to the accident, you should also get the names and contact information of the witnesses. If any of the witnesses took photographs or video recordings of the accident, ask them for copies. If you yourself have a camera at the scene of the accident, take some photographs of the scene.
4. Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
Though you may not need a lawyer for a personal injury claim stemming from minor car accidents, it would be wise to hire an attorney if you plan to file a claim that is complex or if your injuries are severe.
CASE RESULTS
How to File a Personal Injury Claim
1. Call an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer
Filing a personal injury claim can be physically and mentally taxing. An experienced lawyer may help you make the process of filing a claim less exhausting by taking some of the heaviest responsibilities off your shoulders.
Learn More: Why Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer Will Help Your Case
2. Mediation
Once you file a claim with a court, a judge may set a date for a trial or set up a meeting with a mediator who will try to find a compromise between you and the other party.
3. Investigation/Discovery
If mediation fails to achieve an agreement between the parties, your case may move into the discovery or investigative phase. At this stage, collect all of the relevant documents and evidence necessary to file a claim. These include medical bills, witness statements, official reports, employment reports, etc. This stage is also where depositions may occur. Depositions are essentially interviews conducted by lawyers with people who have information pertinent to your case.
4. Case Settlement
Case settlement may occur at the mediation phase, but case settlement may also occur during the discovery/investigative stage. If an insurance company sends you an offer, be sure to discuss the offer with your lawyer. Do not simply accept the offer as your lawyer may be able to negotiate with the insurance company for a more favorable offer.
5. Trial
If, after discovery, no settlement is reached, then your case may go to trial. Two types of trials exist: bench and jury. Bench trials are trials where the judge will hear the evidence, apply the laws applicable in your case, and make a ruling. In jury trials, the judge plays a lesser role, but he or she will still set which laws apply to your case. Unlike a bench trial, however, the jury will decide the outcome of your case.
Personal Injury Compensation
Compensation is provided for economic losses and non-economic losses.
Economic losses include the following:
- Past and future medical bills
- Past and future lost wages
- Damaged property
- Past and future loss of earning capacity
Non-economic losses include the following:
- Past and future emotional anguish
- Pain
- Loss of enjoyment of activities
Learn More: How to Calculate the Value of Your Case
Dealing with Insurance Companies
Realize that the insurance company adjusters work for their company, not for you. This means that they will generally try to give you the least amount of compensation or no compensation at all. When dealing with an insurance company, make sure you know the value of your claim and do not accept an insurance company’s offer if it falls way below the valuation of your claim. In many instances, a victim fails to receive the amount of money he or she may have been entitled to because he or she simply accepts the insurance company’s initial offer without consulting an attorney.
Legal Time Limits
Each state has what is called a statute of limitations or time limit to file a lawsuit. In New Mexico, you must file a personal injury lawsuit within three years of the date of the injury or accident.
Compensation May Be Available To You
If you suffered due to someone’s negligence, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for your losses. Our Las Cruces personal injury lawyers can help you identify your economic losses such as medical bills, property damage, past and future lost wages, transportation expenses and loss of future earning capacity, to name a few.
It is also important to determine if you are eligible to collect additional compensation for non-economic losses, which include emotional distress, pain and suffering, loss of quality of life, and loss of livelihood. Our Las Cruces personal injury attorneys can help you calculate the value of your case and seek full compensation for all the ways the accident cost you as a victim.
Often, insurance companies will seek to protect their bottom line and avoid paying the full amount an accident victim deserves. Our injury attorneys can help you understand how much your case is worth and stand up to the insurance companies on your behalf. We have years of experience in negotiating with the insurance companies and can help you avoid making any mistakes that could jeopardize your claim. Don’t take on the insurance companies or negligent parties alone; get an experienced Las Cruces accident attorney fighting in your corner.
Our Awards
AWARDED TO JOHN C. (JACK) ZINDA BY THE NATIONAL TRIAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION (2016-2020)
AWARDED TO JOHN C. (JACK) ZINDA (2009, 2011-2012, 2014-2021), JOE CAPUTO (2019-2021), BURGESS WILLIAMS (2019-2020), & NEIL SOLOMON (2020-2021)
AWARDED TO JACK ZINDA (2016-2020), JOE CAPUTO (2016 – 2020) & BURGESS WILLIAMS (2016-2017)
LIFETIME MEMBERS JOHN C. (JACK) ZINDA & JOE CAPUTO
Get Help From Our Las Cruces Injury Attorneys Today
The Las Cruces injury lawyers at Zinda Law Group want to help you get back on your feet after an accident. Our attorneys will help you to understand your rights and work on your behalf to seek the compensation you are entitled to under the law. Our accident lawyers are dedicated to excellence and include Super Lawyers, Top 40 Under 40 winners, and more.
Call Zinda Law Group of Las Cruces at (800) 863-5312 today to get your free attorney consultation. Our firm operates on a contingency fee basis, which means you will pay nothing unless we win your injury case.
For a free legal consultation with a personal injury lawyer serving Las Cruces, call 800-863-5312
They delivered on everything they said…
“My experience with Zinda Law Group was extremely positive. From the very beginning they were informative, communicative, and practical. They delivered on everything they said, and walked me through the process. If I had any questions, either by phone or email I promptly received communication and answers. Hopefully I won’t need to, but if I need an attorney in the future, Zinda will be my first call.”
– Former Client
Zinda Law Group Has Been Featured By:
Las Cruces Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me 800-863-5312
Why Hire Zinda Law Group?
The Las Cruces personal injury attorneys at Zinda Law Group have helped thousands of individuals recover the compensation they deserved for their injuries.
Our accident lawyers have decades of combined experience, and we deliver the knowledge and resources of a large firm but with the personalized and compassionate attention of a small practice.
Here are just some of the things that set us apart from other law firms:
- Client Service: Our clients receive the individualized attention they deserve. From the initial consultation to the final result, our attorneys guide clients every step of the way, and we are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Maximize Recoveries: We seek to maximize our recovery in every case, and our firm has achieved many outstanding settlements for our deserving clients.
- Resources: We have the ability to handle large case expenses, conduct investigations, hire expert witnesses, and utilize cutting-edge technology from the start to help build the strongest case possible.
- Litigation-Focused: We treat every case as if it is going to trial, and our attorneys have the knowledge and experience necessary to fully litigate a case from beginning to end.
- Fast Results: Our skilled and aggressive attorneys reach favorable results efficiently and expediently.
FAQs
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
We at Zinda are proud to state that we operate on a no-win, no-fee agreements with our clients. This means that if we do not win any amount for your claim, you will not owe us anything.
When Do I Hire a Personal Injury Attorney?
Not every personal injury case requires you to seek an attorney. If your case is quite simple, you may not need an attorney. However, if any of the below applies to you, you may wish to seek an attorney:
- Your injury is severe
- Your injury was caused by someone else
- Your insurance company representative is contacting you
- You are uncomfortable with the legal or settlement process
- Your insurance company is refusing to pay the amount you believe is owed to you
- An insurance company tries to dispute liability
How Long Does It Take to Get a Personal Injury Check?
Because every personal injury case is different, the length of time it takes for a victim to receive a personal injury check depends on a number of factors. Below is a list of a few of these factors:
- Legal or factual complexities of the victim’s case
- The victim’s case involves a large sum of money
- The victim is in the hospital or receiving treatment at the time the case is filed.
How Much Is My Case Worth?
How much your case is worth depends on a number of factors. To name just a few, the severity of the injuries your received, the amount of medical expenses you incurred, and the loss of your earnings are all considered when calculating the value of your case.
Learn More: Personal Injury Settlement Calculator
Call or text 800-863-5312 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
