Each situation is different. An initial consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney is important to ensure that your legal rights are protected. Of course, it's very important not to sign anything until you've had a chance to talk with a lawyer -- the instances where individuals settled a claim with an insurance company only to learn information that would have kept them from signing are too numerous to mention. Having your own lawyer ensures that you have an experienced, knowledgeable advocate working on your side.

An injured person's compensable damages under New Mexico law may include:

Medical bills; Hospital bills; Prescriptions; Other medical devices and health-related costs; Rehabilitation costs; Physical therapy expenses; Injury-related out-of-pocket expenses; Lost wages; Pain and Suffering; Lost future earnings (if your injury results in full or partial disability).

Additionally, the injured party’s loved ones may have claims which can be legally compensated: these include loss of parental consortium, emotional distress.

As soon as your own car insurance company and the insurance company of the person who caused the car accident are notified, each of them will want information for different reasons. Before submitting to any recorded statement by an insurance adjuster or investigator, even if the other person's liability seems obvious, it is wise to contact the law offices of Keller and Keller for direction and advice on how to proceed. The insurance company is a business that thrives on a victim’s confusion, thus it is important that you ensure your rights are protected.

This is a very complex question that requires information relative to the extent of your injuries, the facts of personal injury, the identity of the potential defendant, and the available insurance limits. Every personal injury case is unique, so evaluating the value of the personal injury claim will take some time and work. What is important is that personal injury case evaluation be done thoroughly, professionally, and at a point in time when your doctor can predict the nature and extent of your injury and percentage of recovery. The law offices of Keller and Keller works diligently to ensure all of the facts are thoroughly examined. On larger, more complex personal injury cases, we endeavor to obtain evaluations from expert medical doctors, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and financial experts the exact extent and total of your damages. Only after completing this process can a value be assessed for your personal injury claim.

To ensure that personal injury clients and their attorneys can speak freely about any legal matter, the law protects the confidentiality of attorney-client communications. The law offices of Keller and Keller are placed under a strict legal obligation not to divulge any details of your case without your written consent. Beyond this legal obligation, our staff will also work effectively at creating a working relationship with clients that foster open communications. The law offices of Keller and Keller will be available to you at any time throughout your personal injury claim. Our clients and their rights are our life’s work, and we work hard to ensure they feel they are primary concern.

Clients hire Keller and Keller through a contingent retainer fee agreement, which means you do not pay for our services until we are able to make a recovery on your behalf. The law offices of Keller and Keller is able to meet personally (or through written communication via our website) with potential clients to discuss the facts of their personal injury claims and make a preliminary evaluation. This meeting usually follows a short phone call to initially discuss the case with a paralegal, who will ask general questions about your potential personal injury claim. Keller and Keller will never charge for a consultation, even if it is decided that we cannot pursue your case. Should the law offices of Keller and Keller pursue your case, you will be asked to read and sign several medical releases, which will allow our firm to gather all relevant medical records, and a written contingent fee agreement. This will allow us to begin investigating and evaluating your personal injury claim. If you feel that you may have a personal injury claim, however small, you should have the matter initially reviewed by the law offices of Keller and Keller as soon as possible. By obtaining professional evaluation, you can be assured that whether or not you decide to pursue the personal injury case, your decision will be well informed.

Personal injury cases may settle after a few months without need for a trial or arbitration. Depending on the extent of your injuries and the course of medical treatment, the personal injury claim can take months or years to complete. Each personal injury case is different and unique; however, no settlement should be completed without careful consideration of future risk. It is our belief that your case should not settle until all risks of future aftereffects and lingering injury have stabilized. Being cautious will ensure that you receive a just value for your personal injury claim.

This is not an unusual question or an unusual topic of discussion. It always comes down to an individual decision; however, we recommend that this be an informed decision. A decision should be based on an evaluation of all the facts, parties, and available insurance coverage in your unique circumstances. Our law office is willing to discuss this topic in private and within the confidential relationship of attorney and client. In summary, we all pay insurance premiums to leverage our risk of loss. Our society utilizes insurance coverage to allow injured people to receive full and fair compensation for a legitimate personal injury. Insurance coverage is how our modern and civilized society attempts to make a wrongdoer accountable - without financially devastating him or her.