Hurt in a Car Accident? Start With a Free, Confidential Conversation

Looking for an Albuquerque car accident attorney? A first consultation with El Gringo Law is a chance to get your questions answered before you decide anything. The consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to continue. This page explains which questions to ask, what to gather first, and what good answers should cover. It is written for people hurt in car and truck crashes in Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, and Sandoval County.

What a Free Consultation With El Gringo Law Is (and Who It Is For)

A first consultation is a conversation about your crash, your injuries, and your options. It is for drivers, passengers, and families hurt in a car or truck crash who want clear answers before they decide anything.

El Gringo Law handles car accidents and trucking accidents. When a crash causes a catastrophic injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, or burn injury, the questions get longer. Those cases often need more time to gather medical records, so it helps to start early.

Josh Wood is the lawyer responsible for this page. He is licensed in New Mexico and Arizona. You can reach El Gringo Law through its website at elgringolaw.com.

What Should You Bring to Your First Consultation?

Bring the facts of the crash, your paperwork, and a clear list of your medical care. These details help the lawyer understand your case on the first call.

• Crash facts: the date, time, place, weather, and what happened, written down while it is fresh.
• Official records: the crash report number, if you have one. New Mexico drivers must immediately give notice, by the quickest means, to the police if the crash occurs within a municipality, or otherwise to the county sheriff or the New Mexico state police, when a crash causes injury or death or property damage to an apparent extent of $500 or more (NMSA 1978, § 66-7-206).
• Written reports: a driver involved in a crash that causes injury or death or total property damage of $500 or more must also file a written report with the department of transportation within five days (NMSA 1978, § 66-7-207). Ask whether one was filed.
• Insurance: policy details, claim numbers, and any letters or voicemails from adjusters.
• Medical: provider names, visit dates, bills, and upcoming appointments.
• Other people: names and contact details for the other driver and any witnesses.

Tell the lawyer about any recorded statement or form you signed. Write down what was said, even if it seems small.

What Should You Ask About Fault, Insurance, and Damages?

Ask how fault will be decided, how the other driver’s insurer will be handled, and which losses a claim can include. Fault matters because it changes how much you can recover.

New Mexico uses pure comparative negligence (shared fault). If you share some fault, your damages are reduced by your percentage. Partial fault does not bar your claim (Scott v. Rizzo). The jury math works the same way: total damages are reduced by the plaintiff’s percentage of negligence (UJI 13-2218 NMRA).

Insurance is the next question. Under NMSA 1978, § 66-5-301, an auto liability policy delivered or issued for delivery in New Mexico for a vehicle registered or principally garaged in New Mexico generally must provide uninsured motorist coverage, which includes underinsured motorist coverage, for persons protected by the policy who are legally entitled to recover damages from owners or operators of uninsured motor vehicles. The named insured has the right to reject this coverage, and the coverage is subject to the statute’s minimum limits and conditions.

Damages are the losses a claim can cover. Ask about medical care, lost income, property damage, and pain and suffering. Ask how the lawyer will link each loss to the crash.

What Should You Ask About Fees, Costs, and Deadlines?

Ask for the fee terms in writing, ask what costs you could owe, and ask about your deadline. Get each answer before you decide anything.

Fees. If a fee is contingent on a recovery, the agreement must be in writing and signed by the client. It must also clearly state which expenses you owe even if you do not recover (Rule 16-105 NMRA). Ask the lawyer to walk through that page with you.

For contingent-fee cases, a contingent fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client (New Mexico Rules of Professional Conduct). Ask what you would owe if there is no recovery.

Deadlines. New Mexico’s statute on injury to a person sets a three-year period (NMSA 1978, § 37-1-8). Ask about your start date and any special rules that apply to the other party right away.

What Should You Ask About How Your Case Will Be Handled?

Ask who will work on your file, how you will get updates, and how settlement offers reach you. These answers set clear expectations for the months ahead.

Who handles your file. Our team includes lawyers and support staff, such as assistants and office staff. Ask who will be your day-to-day contact. Ask which person is the lawyer making decisions on your claim.

Updates. Ask how often you will hear from the firm and by which method. Write the answer down so you both know what to expect.

Settlement decisions. Under Rule 16-102(A), each client has the final say on whether to accept or reject a settlement offer (New Mexico Rules of Professional Conduct). Ask how each offer will be explained to you before you respond.

Timeline. A claim often moves through investigation, medical treatment, a settlement demand, negotiation, and a lawsuit if needed. Timing depends on the facts of each case.

Frequently Asked Questions About Your First Consultation

Most first-call questions cover cost, contact, and next steps. Here are the common ones.

Talk With El Gringo Law About Your Crash

The next step is to reach El Gringo Law through its contact form, with your crash details in hand. You do not have to sort out a crash, injuries, and insurance calls alone.

Use the El Gringo Law contact page to share your crash date, your injuries, and the questions above. Josh Wood is the lawyer responsible for this page. The firm can be reached at elgringolaw.com.