In New Mexico, injured victims of car accidents have three years to file a claim for bodily injuries and four years for property damage. But they only have six months to file a government entity for the same reason. The date begins the day the crash or injury occurred. While there is a two-year limit for filing a lawsuit, victims must get in touch with an Albuquerque car accident attorney as soon as possible. Here’s why:

It Doesn’t Cost You Money to Consult with an Attorney 

If you are an injured victim of a negligent driver, you can have your case evaluated by an attorney without costing you money. During your initial consultation, you can tell a lawyer about the crash and they can talk about state law and its applicability in your case. The lawyer can discuss your legal options and what they believe they can do. You are not obliged to retain the attorney. But if you think you can trust them and your case needs help, you may want to consider representing them. Your attorney will still have to determine if your case is worth their time and effort before they decide to take it. 

You May Unknowingly Hurt Your Case

If you do not know the law and the way insurance claims work, you might say or do something that will hurt your case. These include the following:

• Posting on social media. As you use social media, you may post something that contradicts your claims. Insurers investigate car accident claims. Usually, such investigations begin with social media. It’s important to stick to the facts and avoid posting content on social media that might reflect on your health.
• Not communicating with your doctors correctly. Your medical records and doctors’ opinion are vital to your claim. Downplaying the seriousness of your condition or reducing your limitations can be included in your records. Such contradictions can lead to issues. 
• Not getting recommended treatment. When you pursue compensation for car accident injuries, you need to get reasonable treatments your doctors recommend. Otherwise, the insurer will blame you for your pain and limitations. 

Your Attorney Needs Time to Investigate

Insurance claims are built with facts. Successful cases result from thorough and complete investigations of accidents into what occurred, how, who, and why they happened. The investigations can involve outside professionals who review your attorney’s findings and provide them with their opinions on who should be held liable for the accident. A more complex car accident case requires more time to be investigated.