Though no one ever wants to get into an accident, the likelihood of being one is often common. Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death for drivers aged 16 to 24 and any average American’s chance of being in a car accident is one in 77 people. With a population of 327 million, that makes your chances of being the victim of an accident pretty high. In 2017, more than 128 vehicles were involved in an accident – 77 of which ended in a fatality. You never know what other drivers are going to do and you can’t predict who will drive recklessly. You do, however, have control over your actions.

Car accident victims have a right to sue negligent drivers for injuries caused in a crash. For Albuquerque residents, here’s what you need to know about your rights as a safe, law-abiding driver.

You have a right to seek damages.

As in any case of negligence or malicious intent, the victim of a crime has a right to seek damages for any physical, emotional or financial loss they’ve endured at the hands of another. This is no different for the victim of a car accident. 

When it comes to physical injury, you as the victim have a right to sue someone over any pain they may have caused by running into your vehicle. This can include a trip to the hospital to be checked for a concussion or for more serious injuries like broken bones or lacerations. Having the at-fault driver pay for your medical wellbeing also falls under potential financial loss as is any damage to the vehicle itself. This can sometimes be covered by the other driver’s insurance, but can also be won out of a lawsuit on behalf of the victim.

As for emotional distress, some victims experience post-traumatic stress disorder. You can sue to have the other driver pay therapeutic costs so that you can truly move past this horrible experience.

You can sue other parties than the driver.

Some victims may not know this, but they have a right to sue more people than just the driver in the accident. As other parties can sometimes be found partly or entirely responsible for the crime at hand. For instance, if you’re in a car accident in which a truck driver hits your vehicle, you can sue the company that hired the driver. 

Maybe they were negligent in reviewing the driver’s qualifications. You have the right to sue any individuals involved in the crash in some capacity, though, talking with a good lawyer about which would be the best to pursue is important. You’ll want to ensure you can win your case and get appropriate reparations.

You have the right to hire a lawyer.

As any victim of a crime, victims in car accidents have the right to seek out a good, qualified lawyer. A car accident attorney in Albuquerque that would do right by a car accident victim will have plenty of experience representing said victims and getting them the restitution they deserve. 

You can look up law firms, skilled in fighting for the victim’s rights, and see how many wins they’ve had and how much they’ve been able to win for folks like you. You can also ask said lawyers about their work prior to signing on with them to ensure they will be able to help you. Car accidents are not a great experience, but finding a good lawyer in Albuquerque will make it much easier to handle.