Albuquerque Drunk Driving Accidents

Drunk driving accidents in Albuquerque, New Mexico, can be catastrophic. In fact, drunk driving is so dangerous that it contributes to nearly one-third of car accident fatalities every year. As a victim, it’s essential to take legal action. You can recover compensation to help you move forward with your life and make sure the drunk driver is held accountable for their reckless actions.

The experienced Albuquerque car accident lawyers at Singleton Schreiber can help you make the most of your drunk driving accident case.

Choosing Singleton Schreiber to handle your drunk driving case puts a team of local lawyers with national resources in your corner. We’re award-winning New Mexico litigators who strive to make a difference in the lives of each and every person we represent. As fearless advocates with decades of experience, we’ve successfully won our clients billions in financial awards.

Don’t settle for less than you deserve after an Albuquerque drunk driving accident. Trust our top-rated Albuquerque personal injury law firm to maximize your recovery. Call our Albuquerque law office today. Your first case evaluation is free.

How Common Are Drunk Driving Accidents in Albuquerque, NM?

Every year, hundreds of thousands of drunk driving car accidents are reported across the United States. Tens of thousands lose their lives in these avoidable crashes. According to the NHTSA, an average of 11,000 people are killed by drunk driving annually.

New Mexico ranks third in the nation for drunk driving fatalities.

In 2022, 37 percent of the state’s car accident fatalities involved an intoxicated driver. That year, there were a total of 2,233 alcohol-related crashes, in which 176 people were killed.

On an average day in New Mexico, there are six drunk driving wrecks across the state. Someone is killed by a drunk driver in New Mexico every other day.

No Albuquerque city reports more drunk driving car accidents than Albuquerque. According to state crash data, 518 alcohol-involved collisions were reported in 2022. While this represented an 11 percent decrease from the year prior, it still reflects an average of 1.4 drunk driving collisions every day within the city’s limits. 

Albuquerque accounts for nearly 25 percent of all drunk driving crashes in New Mexico and roughly 20 percent of the state’s drunk driving fatalities. In 2022, 35 people lost their lives in drunk driving accidents in Albuquerque.

What Makes Drunk Driving Car Accidents So Dangerous?

Alcohol is a depressant that impairs normal cognitive function. The more you drink, the more it affects you. That’s why the state of New Mexico has strict drunk driving laws on the books. For drivers of legal drinking age, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .08 or greater or when the consumption of any amount of alcohol has rendered driving unsafe.

Driving can be inherently unsafe when a driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol because it:

• Prevents a driver from thinking logically or with reason
• Reduces reaction time
• Impairs vision and coordination
• Increases the likelihood of falling asleep at the wheel

As a result, drivers may be unable to react to changes in traffic, operate their cars on the wrong side of the road, or forget to pay attention to their surroundings. All of these things can make car accidents more likely.

How Can I Get Compensation After an Accident With a Drunk Driver in Albuquerque?

Not only is driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol illegal, it’s also negligent. When an alcohol-impaired driver causes a car accident in Albuquerque, they can be legally responsible for harm caused. 

As a victim, this means you can file a claim with the drunk driver’s car insurance company to recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and harder-to-value pain and suffering.

You can recover compensation up to the drunk driver’s policy limits. However, given how severe many drunk driving accidents can be, there’s a good chance that your damages will exceed what the insurance company is willing to pay.

In these situations, you can sue the drunk driver for additional compensation or, alternatively, seek compensation from another responsible party. Under New Mexico’s dram shop laws, you may have a legitimate claim against a social host or an alcohol vendor if they supplied an overabundance of alcohol to the drunk driver.

If you file a dram shop claim, you can recover up to $50,000 in bodily injury damages (per person up to $100,000) to help offset costs of medical treatment, disability, and distress. 

While most drunk driving cases settle, there’s a chance that yours will not. If your drunk driving lawsuit goes to trial, a jury will have the discretion to award punitive damages to punish the defendant for recklessly disregarding your safety by getting behind the wheel after having too many drinks.

It’s important to call for help as soon as you can. New Mexico imposes a strict three-year statute of limitations on most car accident cases, including matters of wrongful death. Once the third anniversary of your drunk driving accident passes, you’ll have lost the opportunity to demand compensation for your pain, suffering, and costs.

Call Singleton Schreiber For Help After a Drunk Driving Accident in Albuquerque, NM

Don’t struggle with the aftermath of a drunk driving car accident in Albuquerque, NM, on your own. Call Singleton Schreiber, and trust our award-winning Albuquerque car accident attorneys to help you fight for the financial justice you need and deserve.

Count on us to handle all aspects of your case:

• Evaluate medical records, police reports, blood and breath test results, witness statements, cell phone records, video footage, forensics reports, and other evidence we gather during our investigation
• Hire respected experts in accident reconstruction, rehabilitation, psychology, medicine, and other specialties to collaborate with our legal team
• File your claim with the local Bernalillo County court clerk
• Demand a fair and favorable settlement offer during negotiations with the drunk driver’s insurance company and other parties

We won’t let you settle for less than you deserve. If you don’t receive a fair offer, our successful New Mexico trial attorneys will put the full force of our law firm’s resources behind your case when we take it to court.

Ready to get started? Contact our Albuquerque law office today. Members of our top-rated personal injury law firm are always available to take your call.