Slip and fall accidents do not discriminate. This type of catastrophic accident can happen to anyone, and the resulting injuries are often severe. If you were hurt in a fall that wasn’t your fault, our Albuquerque slip and fall accident lawyers are here for you.
At Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm, we always stand up for those who have been wrongfully injured. If a property owner acted in a way that caused you harm, you’ll know that you have the backing of experienced and knowledgeable attorneys when you choose to work with our law office.
We deeply care about each and every client we work with, and we strive to always treat them as more than just accident victims. When we get to know you on a more personal level, that’s when we begin to understand how your slip and fall accident has truly affected your life.
When Do I Need a Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer?
Not every slip and fall accident calls for the filing of a personal injury claim against a negligent property owner. However, it may be necessary to contact an experienced attorney if any of the following applies to your situation:
- You suffered severe injuries
- Your medical bills are outpacing your earnings
- You have lost wages from being unable to work
- The property owner is denying liability
- The insurance company is disputing what you are owed
- There may be more than one at-fault party
- You are unsure how to gather evidence or prove liability
- You are unable to focus on your recovery because of the claims process
You don’t have to take on the burden of filing a serious personal injury case on your own. Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm is here for you.
What Makes Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm Different?
The slip and fall attorneys of Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm are experienced in a variety of personal injury practice areas, including premises liability. Our dedication to providing aggressive legal representation to accident victims is unparalleled in Albuquerque and the Bernalillo County area.
Our legal team will guide you through the legal process as you seek justice and maximum compensation for your fall injuries. When we take on a slip and fall case, we:
- Conduct an in-depth investigation into what caused your fall accident
- Collect evidence from the scene of the fall and review any security footage that captured the accident
- Speak with property owners and any other at-fault parties
- Record eyewitness statements
- Review your medical records to prove the extent of your injuries
- Correctly tally the worth of your past, current, and future medical expenses
- Value the worth of your economic and non-economic damages to determine how much you are owed
We take most personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis. This means that we don’t collect any payment upfront. Instead, we only get paid if we win your case, at which point we collect our legal fees as only a small percentage of your overall award. This approach allows us to make the services of our legal practice available to those who might be otherwise unable to afford to work with a lawyer.
Where Fall Accidents Occur in New Mexico
A slip and fall accident can happen anywhere and at any time. However, in our experience handling complex premises liability claims, we have come to recognize some of the most common places that fall accidents occur:
- Grocery stores
- Restaurants
- Stores and shopping centers
- Parking lots
- Nursing homes
- Workplaces
- Stairs
- Sidewalks
Whether you see the site of your accident listed above or were injured in another location, we are standing by to speak with you. Schedule a free consultation today so that we can discuss your slip and fall claim in more detail.
The Most Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in Albuquerque
The causes of slip and fall accidents are wide and varied, although most are related to property owner negligence. Below are some of the most common contributing factors:
- Slippery or wet floors
- Cluttered walk spaces
- Uneven or loose carpet
- Cracked or uneven sidewalks
- Uneven stairs
- Loose or nonexistent stair railings
- Curling or worn floor mats
Your Albuquerque slip and fall attorney will help determine what factors caused your fall accident. It is important to launch an investigation into your injury claim as soon as possible to limit the risk of essential evidence disappearing forever. If you’ve suffered a serious injury, contact our law office to speak with one of our fall attorneys today.
Proving a Property Owner’s Negligence
In some states, a property owner’s duty depends on the status of the injured party as either an “invitee” or “licensee.” New Mexico state law does not make a distinction between the two, which greatly simplifies the concept of negligence in this type of personal injury case. Property owners must maintain safe premises that are reasonably free from dangers. When potential hazards do arise, property owners must address these issues in a timely manner.
To secure the financial compensation you are owed for your injury claim, you must be able to prove that a property owner failed to create and maintain premises that any reasonable person in New Mexico would be able to traverse without suffering an injury. Examples of possible property owner negligence include:
- Failure to warn of wet floors
- Failure to post warning signs
- Inadequate maintenance
An Albuquerque slip and fall attorney from Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm has the experience and legal knowledge that is necessary to prove liability in this type of fall case. Schedule your free initial consultation by calling our law office or filling out our convenient online form.
Types of Slip and Fall Injuries
Fall accidents often result in serious injury to victims. The sudden and unexpected nature of these types of accidents means that victims have no time to react, leaving them vulnerable to whatever they may hit or strike. The average slip and fall claim will involve some of the following injuries:
- Head injuries and brain trauma
- Broken bones
- Fractures
- Hip injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Mental anguish
Your slip and fall lawyer will help you prove the extent of the injuries you suffered in your accident. In most personal injury cases, this involves reviewing the medical treatment you’ve undergone, test results, and doctor recommendations to prove that you suffered harm and deserve to recover compensation. This information will also help your fall injury lawyer determine what a fair settlement looks like for your slip and fall case.
Slip and Fall Accident Frequently Asked Questions
At your free consultation, you’ll have the opportunity to sit down in a one-on-one setting with a slip and fall lawyer from Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm. During this no-obligation consultation, you’ll have the opportunity to go over your fall claim, discuss what proper compensation might look like in your case, and ask any questions about the process of filing an injury claim with the insurance company.
You might also find the following answers to frequently asked slip and fall accident questions helpful as you wait to meet with someone at our personal injury law office.
How Long Will It Take To Recover From My Slip and Fall Injury?
The time it takes to recover from a slip and fall accident is highly contingent upon where the fall occurred and the severity of your injuries. The typical fall accident requires weeks or even months of recovery, during which time you might be out of work, dealing with lost wages on top of mounting medical expenses. If you are one of the 800,000 people hospitalized for fall injuries every year, your recovery time could be even longer.
If you are dealing with any of these challenges, do not hesitate to contact a slip and fall attorney as soon as possible.
Do I Have a Slip and Fall Accident Case?
It is impossible to say whether you have a valid slip and fall claim without first meeting in-person to discuss your fall accident. If you’ve been injured in a fall and are eager to recover compensation or are unsure how to gather evidence that proves your case, you may schedule a free consultation with our personal injury law office.
What if I Was Partly at Fault for My Albuquerque Slip and Fall Accident?
Being partially at fault for your accident does not disqualify you from securing compensation in an insurance settlement. New Mexico injury law operates on the concept of pure comparative negligence. This means that you may file a slip and fall accident claim even if you played a role in the accident. Your total award will be proportionately reduced by your percentage of fault, though. This means that if you were 10% at fault, your settlement would be reduced by 10%.
While you might feel relieved that you are still able to recover compensation even if you played a small role in the accident, a property owner and their insurer might try to exploit New Mexico’s comparative negligence laws by placing a larger percentage of the blame on you. Do not allow yourself to be bullied into receiving less than you are owed—contact a slip and fall lawyer today.
How Long Do I Have To File a Premises Liability Claim?
New Mexico state law affords fall injury victims three years from the date of their accident to file a slip and fall claim. Although this is a longer timeframe than some other states grant, the years will pass by much more quickly than you realize. There are also special statutes of limitations for slip and fall accidents that take place on public property that greatly limit the time you have to take legal action. An Albuquerque slip and fall lawyer from Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm can help determine which statute of limitations applies to your specific case.
Can I Afford To Work With a Slip and Fall Attorney?
Does working with an Albuquerque slip and fall lawyer seem out of your financial reach? The good news is that working with our law office is much more affordable than you may realize. Our attorneys regularly work with injury clients on a contingency fee basis, which means that we don’t ask for any payment upfront. In fact, we don’t get paid unless you do. We find that this arrangement is especially effective as it creates a shared goal between attorney and client.
Speak With Our Albuquerque Slip and Fall Lawyers Today
You didn’t deserve to be injured because of a property owner’s grossly negligent behavior, and we don’t believe that you should have to unfairly bear the burden of recovery on your own. That’s why our Albuquerque slip and fall lawyers stand up for New Mexico residents who have suffered serious injuries, lost wages, incurred medical bills, and suffered substantial damages.
There is no need to wait. Reach out to Buckingham Barrera Vega Law Firm today so that we can match you with an Albuquerque slip and fall injury lawyer.
