Albuquerque and Mesa Wrongful Death Lawyer

Wood Injury Law, PLLC seeks justice for wrongful death victims and their families.

Wrongful Death Lawyer in New Mexico and Arizona

Losing a loved one is always difficult, but it’s even more painful when the loss is due to someone else’s negligence. You want to hold the other party accountable, but if the actions weren’t criminal, you might not be sure what to do. Filing a wrongful death lawsuit is a way to seek justice for your loved one.

It’s hard to know what steps to take when immersed in grief. Our wrongful death lawyer will advocate for your loved one and your family and work to bring the at-fault party to justice. Contact us today for a free consultation about your case. You will speak directly to our attorney during your consultation.

Causes of Wrongful Death

You might be able to file a wrongful death claim if someone caused your loved one’s death. Most of these claims are filed as a result of:

Car accidents
Pedestrian accidents
Aviation accidents
Product liability claims
Nursing home negligence
Workplace accidents

Contact our wrongful death lawyer today if you think you have a case. Our attorney will go over the matter with you and explain the next steps.

What Is Wrongful Death?

Wrongful death is the legal term used when someone passes away due to negligence, default, or a wrongful act. Essentially, someone doesn’t uphold his or her duty of care, which leads to an accident or action that causes fatal injuries. This is much like a personal injury lawsuit, but it’s on behalf of the deceased.

For example, assume that a drunk driver collided with your loved one, causing fatal injuries. By driving while intoxicated, the motorist breached his or her duty of care. Additionally, the breach caused an accident, which led to the victim’s death. This is a basic example, but it illustrates the process of proving personal injury claims.

Since you must meet specific criteria to pursue damages, consult with our wrongful death lawyer before moving forward. After going over the evidence, your attorney can let you know if you have a claim.

Who Can File A Wrongful Death Claim?

The law for filing wrongful death claims differs in New Mexico and Arizona. If the wrongful death occurred in New Mexico, the estate’s personal representative would need to file the claim. However, if the person did not create an estate plan, the court would name the personal representative to settle the estate. Then that person can move forward with a wrongful death claim. Any compensation awarded will go to the beneficiaries of the estate, not the personal representative, though.

The law is different in Mesa and the rest of Arizona. The personal representative for the estate can file a claim here as well. However, surviving spouses, parents, children, and guardians have the same right to file a claim.

If you’re unsure if you have legal rights to a wrongful death lawsuit, contact us today. Since you’ll speak directly to our wrongful death lawyer, you can get answers to this and other questions during your consultation.

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Why Choose Wood Injury Law?

Five-star Reviews – Wood Injury Law has a five-star rating on Google Reviews and Facebook. Clients rave about the way that Josh Wood fights for them. He’s on their side every step of the way during the case.
Numerous Practice Areas – Josh Wood covers all areas of personal injury law, including car accidents, dog bites, workplace injuries, and wrongful death. He also defends clients facing DUI charges.
Two Locations to Serve Your Needs – We offer personal injury and DUI defense services in Albuquerque, NM, and Mesa, AZ. Our service areas include the Metro Phoenix, Metro Albuquerque, and Santa Fe areas.
Free Consultations With an Attorney – While most firms have staff members handle consultations, you will speak directly to an attorney during your free initial consultation. You can consult over the phone, via video, or in person.

Damages In Wrongful Death Claims

The damages vary based on the nature of the claim. However, you might be eligible to collect compensation for funeral and burial expenses, lost wages, financial contributions, medical expenses, and more. First, your wrongful death lawyer will need to investigate the claim. Then your attorney can value your case and begin the negotiation process. If the insurance company refuses to provide a fair settlement, your attorney can escalate the case to trial. Then your lawyer will advocate for your loved one in the courtroom.

How Long Do You Have To File A Wrongful Death Suit?

Wrongful death cases are treated as personal injury claims, so they have the same statute of limitations. You have up to two years from the date of the death to file your claim in Arizona. However, if the wrongful death occurred in New Mexico, you have up to three years to file the claim. Still, it’s wise to consult with a lawyer shortly after the wrongful death. Then the attorney can investigate while the evidence is still fresh.

Practice Areas

- Car Accidents -

A car accident can be both physically and financially devastating. On the one hand, you might be dealing with severe, life-altering injuries. Then you could also be suffering from the financial ramification of expensive medical bills and lost wages. When you combine the two, you likely feel as if you’ve lost all power and control.

- Motorcycle Accidents -

While riding motorcycles is a lot of fun in New Mexico and Arizona, accidents can cause catastrophic injuries. Unfortunately, motorcycles provide little protection so that you can experience traumatic brain injuries, severe fractures, and other injuries. Sadly, it often takes a long time and lots of money to heal from the injuries.

- DUI Accident -

Numerous lawyers represent people charged with drunk driving, but our firm focuses on the victims. While drunk drivers often survive accidents, they leave their victims with devastating, sometimes fatal, injuries. Law enforcement will likely charge the driver with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The driver could…