5 Things to Do After a New Mexico Truck Accident

Truck Accidents Aren’t Rare in New Mexico

Big truck accidents in New Mexico aren’t as rare as you might think. As a matter of fact, in 2024, a large truck crash or semi-truck crash occurred approximately every 3 hours in New Mexico, according to the 2024 New Mexico Crash Annual Crash Report. Additionally, “Heavy truck-involved crashes rose to 3,388, the highest level in a decade,” and big truck accidents are among the most fatal types of accidents in New Mexico, along with pedestrian crashes and motorcycle crashes.

For New Mexican drivers, knowing what to do in the event of a big rig wreck can help you minimize the impact of the crash on your future and maximize the potential compensation from a truck accident injury claim. There are five important things you can do.

In The Article

1. Get Help After a New Mexico Truck Accident

Truck accidents in New Mexico can cause significant, even catastrophic damage to any passenger vehicles involved. If you were involved in a truck accident, you should:

• Make sure everyone in your vehicle is okay. Ask them if they have injuries and tell them not to move.
• Call 9-1-1 and get emergency services to the scene as fast as possible. Let them know your location, what happened, where you are, and how many cars may be involved in the accident.
• If possible, move your vehicle out of the way of traffic to a safe spot. This will prevent obstructions for vehicles not involved in the truck accident and allow for emergency services to get through.
• Once emergency services arrive, make sure you are treated.

2. Preserve the Truck Accident Scene

Once you’re safe, if you were not transported by emergency services, take the time to document the scene. If you’re physically capable, taking steps to preserve the scene can help you gather evidence after your big truck accident.

• Take pictures of the accident scene, all vehicles involved, and any witnesses you see.
• Take video of the scene and describe everything that happened as you point your camera toward intersections, vehicles, and people.
• Find details such as skid marks and damaged areas of the road, landmarks, and traffic signs.

3. Collect Truck Driver and Witness Information

Collecting driver and witness information is essential to building your personal injury case and protecting your rights. When you speak to the driver and witness, be sure to write down or record the following information:

• Name
• Phone number
• Email address
• Their account of what happened (what they saw)
• Their insurance information (for anyone involved in the accident)

Avoid admitting fault to the truck driver or any witnesses. Even simply saying “I’m sorry” can have negative effects on your personal injury claim. This is especially important to keep in mind when talking to the police or insurance companies.

4. Know What to Say to the Police and Insurance Company

When the police arrive, you should cooperate, provide a full statement, and ask for a police report, if they aren’t already working on one. However, when talking to the police and recounting the events that led to the accident, focus only on the facts:

• What you saw
• Which direction you were traveling
• Which direction the truck was moving

Never share your opinion, speculations, or hypotheses of what may have happened. This can backfire on you, as you may say things that could later be viewed as incriminating or that could be perceived as accepting a portion of the fault in the truck accident.

In the days after the truck accident, you will get phone calls from your insurance company and potentially the trucking company’s insurance company. It’s essential to avoid making any statements that could incriminate you or show that you may be partially at fault. The insurance company will start conversationally and try to get you relaxed enough to admit fault. Their questions may begin to lean toward things you could have done better in the accident. It’s important to avoid answering questions like this, as the representative may be trying to get you to admit fault.

Because talking to insurance companies can be overwhelming and even confusing, having an experienced truck accident lawyer on your side can change the entire outcome of your case. If you have an injury lawyer, you can tell insurance companies to get into contact with them, so you don’t have to answer guided questions that could incriminate you.

5. Contact a New Mexico Truck Accident Lawyer

As soon as you’re home or capable, contact a New Mexico truck accident lawyer. It’s in your best interest to do this before the insurance company calls you. This can help you protect your rights and avoid losing some or all of your compensation due to a misstatement or a lowball settlement offer.
Because the damage and the scope of truck accident injuries are usually much more serious than in another type of vehicle accident, the financial compensation you may get as the injured party could also be substantial.

Insurance companies representing trucking firms rarely have your best interest at heart. Before even talking to the insurance company, you should contact a trusted lawyer with experiencing in dealing with truck accident cases.

How Ron Bell Truck Accident Attorneys Can Help You

The experienced attorneys at Ron Bell Injury Lawyers have helped truck accident victims get the compensation they deserve for decades. We take the time to investigate the circumstances surrounding your truck accident, contact witnesses, and negotiate with insurance companies. We don’t settle for lowball offers, especially when we know your losses are far more substantial than an initial offer.

If you or a loved one was injured in a big truck accident in New Mexico, contact Ron Bell Injury Lawyers for a free case evaluation. 898-BELL