Albuquerque Fatal Car Accidents

When an Albuquerque car accident is fatal, it can turn your world upside-down. As a survivor, you have the right to seek compensation from whoever is responsible for the deadly wreck and the loss of your family member - including a negligent motorist, a vehicle manufacturer, a government agency, or an insurance company. Singleton Schreiber’s Albuquerque car accident attorneys are here to help you make the most of your fight for compensation.

Families in Albuquerque choose Singleton Schreiber because we’re compassionate and skilled New Mexico trial attorneys with a proven track record. Our case results include over $3 Billion in jury verdicts and private settlements.

Don’t struggle with the aftermath of a fatal car accident in Albuquerque on your own. Call Singleton Schreiber, and count on us to help you demand the financial justice your family deserves. Your first consultation with your Albuquerque law office is free.

How Often Do Fatal Car Accidents Happen in Albuquerque?

Albuquerque, New Mexico, has the third highest traffic accident fatality rate in the nation. According to a 2024 report by USA Today, 18.11 people per 100,000 residents are killed in car accidents in Albuquerque. Only Detroit and Memphis record more auto accident deaths per capita.

Not surprisingly, Albuquerque leads the state of New Mexico in total car accidents and total crash fatalities. In 2022, 87 car accidents in Albuquerque were fatal. As a result of these collisions, 93 people lost their lives.

Based on this data, there’s one fatal car accident in the city of Albuquerque, NM, roughly every 4 days.

What Causes Most Fatal Collisions in Albuquerque?

While several factors can result in a deadly crash, some of the most commonly cited causes of fatal car accidents in Albuquerque include:

Drunk Driving

Every year, nearly one-third of all car accident deaths nationwide are caused by drunk or drugged drivers. In Albuquerque, the rate of drunk driving fatalities is even higher. In 2022, more than 40 percent of the city’s fatal car accidents were alcohol-involved wrecks.

Distracted Driving

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 8 percent of the country’s fatal car accidents involve distracted drivers. In 2022, 3,308 people were killed because of driver inattention. According to New Mexico crash stats, driver inattention was a factor in more than 12 percent of Albuquerque’s fatal car accidents in 2022.

Speeding

Across the United States, speed is a factor in about 29 percent of all car accident deaths. Research demonstrates that for every 5 MPH a driver goes over the speed limit on an interstate or freeway, there’s an 8 percent increase in the fatality rate.  In Albuquerque, speeding is a factor in about 11.5 percent of all fatal collisions.

What Are My Rights If I Suffer the Wrongful Death of a Family Member in a New Mexico Car Accident?

Every year, hundreds of families in Albuquerque struggle with the sudden and devastating loss of loved ones in fatal motor vehicle accidents across the city. While money can’t bring a family member back or take away the incredible pain families feel in these moments, it can help offset the financial complications of their loss.

That’s why it’s important to explore your right to file a wrongful death claim after a fatal crash in Albuquerque. 

Under New Mexico law, a wrongful death claim can be filed when a death is “caused by the wrongful act, neglect or default of another” and the victim would have had the right to file a claim of their own if they’d survived. So, if your family member’s fatal car accident happened because another driver was somehow negligent - distracted, drowsy, aggressive at the wheel - your family (through the estate’s personal representative) can file a claim to hold them legally and financially responsible for the consequences.

Those consequences are called damages. Damages in a New Mexico wrongful death claim can include economic and non-economic awards for:

• Expenses related to the victim’s funeral and medical care prior to their death
• Lost wages, earnings, benefits, and financial support
• Loss of guidance and companionship
• Mental anguish

Punitive damages - awarded to punish the defendant for their actions - can also be awarded at trial if there’s compelling evidence of intentional misconduct or a conscious disregard for your family member’s safety. Many times, we see juries order punitive damages in drunk driving accidents, hit and run accidents, and in cases of extreme road rage.

Don’t stress over how to get compensation - or from whom - after an Albuquerque fatal car accident. Take the time you need to grieve your loss and count on our Albuquerque car accident lawyers to handle your fight for damages for you.

How Long Do I Have to Seek Damages After a Fatal Crash in Albuquerque?

New Mexico gives families three years from the date of a car accident fatality to formally seek damages from an insurance company or another responsible.

Your claim must be filed within the statute of limitations if you want to recover compensation. When time runs out, you lose the ability to demand monetary accountability from those at fault.

What Happens If My Family Member is Blamed For Their Fatal Auto Accident?

You can still recover compensation as long as they are not 100 percent to blame for their fatal auto accident.

New Mexico’s pure comparative negligence law requires damages to be reduced proportionately to fault. So, you should expect to recover 50 percent of the value of your wrongful death claim if your family member is assigned half of the blame for the car accident in which they were killed.

Families in Albuquerque Trust Singleton Schreiber After Fatal Car Accidents

Singleton Schreiber is here to help you make the most of your fight for compensation after a fatal crash in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Don’t let well-deserved compensation slip away. Trust our Albuquerque personal injury lawyers to help you maximize your recovery.

We’re the local lawyers you can trust and are ready to invest our law firm’s national resources into your case. Contact our law office in Albuquerque to discuss your case and discover why you’ll want our award-winning team on your side. Your first consultation is free.