Albuquerque Slip And Fall Lawyer
Slip and fall accidents can change your life in an instant. Medical bills pile up. You may be unable to work. And the property owner responsible? They have insurance companies and lawyers working to minimize what they pay you.If you don’t act, you could walk away with nothing even when someone else’s negligence put you on that floor.At Runion Personal Injury Lawyer, our Albuquerque slip and fall lawyer is here to level the playing field. We know how to build a strong case, take on insurers, and fight for the full compensation you deserve.
$50+ Million Recovered
Content Reviewed By: Derick Runion
Do You Have a Valid Case?
Not every fall automatically creates a legal claim. To pursue compensation, four elements must be established:
- Duty of care: Property owners in New Mexico are legally required to maintain reasonably safe conditions for visitors on their premises. This duty applies to businesses, landlords, private homeowners, and government agencies alike.
- Breach of duty: The property owner failed to uphold that duty for example, by ignoring a wet floor, failing to repair broken steps, or not warning visitors about a known hazard.
- Causation: The property owner’s breach must be the direct cause of your fall and resulting injuries. There must be a clear link between the dangerous condition and the harm you suffered.
- Damages: You must have suffered real, quantifiable harm such as physical injuries, medical expenses, or lost income as a result of the accident.
Damages You Could Be Entitled To
If your claim is successful, you may be entitled to the following types of compensation:
- Economic damages: These are your financial losses, including medical bills (current and future), rehabilitation costs, lost wages, and any out-of-pocket expenses directly tied to your injuries.
- Non-economic damages: These cover the more personal toll of your injuries pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and the impact the accident has had on your daily routine.
- Punitive damages: In cases where the property owner’s conduct was especially reckless or egregious, a court may award punitive damages above and beyond your actual losses to punish that behavior and deter others.
Hypothetical example: In a scenario where a grocery store manager was alerted to a spilled liquid near the entrance but failed to clean it up or post a warning sign for over an hour, a shopper who slipped and fractured their hip could successfully pursue a premises liability claim for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
You May Be Entitled to Workers’ Compensation
If you were injured in a slip and fall accident while on the job in a warehouse, office, restaurant, or any other workplace — you may have a workers’ compensation claim in addition to a premises liability claim. Workers’ comp can cover medical treatment and a portion of your lost wages while you recover. Our team can help you understand which claims apply to your situation and how to pursue both effectively.
What Can I Expect to Pay?
Nothing unless we win.
Runion Personal Injury Lawyer handles slip and fall cases on a contingency fee basis. That means there are no upfront fees, no hourly billing, and no financial risk to you. We only get paid when you receive compensation. If we don’t recover for you, you owe us nothing.
This arrangement means you can access experienced legal representation regardless of your financial situation, and it also means we are fully motivated to maximize your recovery.
Contact Our Albuquerque Slip and Fall Lawyers Today
Wrongful death claims are complex. The insurance companies involved are well-resourced and experienced at minimizing what grieving families receive. You need an attorney who knows their tactics and isn’t afraid to fight back.
Runion Personal Injury is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
400 Gold Ave SW, Suite 650
Albuquerque, NM 87102
📞 (505) 594-3621
No fees unless we win. Free consultation. Available 24/7.
Who Can You Hold Liable in a Slip and Fall Claim?
One of the most important steps in any slip and fall case is identifying exactly who is responsible for the dangerous condition that caused your injury. Depending on the circumstances, liability could fall on:
- Private property owners: Homeowners who invite guests onto their property whether for a social gathering or any other purpose have a duty to keep it reasonably safe. If a hazardous condition they knew or should have known about caused your injury, they can be held liable.
- Business owners: Retailers, restaurants, gyms, and other commercial establishments must maintain safe premises for customers. Wet floors without signage, cluttered aisles, broken fixtures, and poor lighting are common sources of liability.
- Landlords: If you were injured in a common area of an apartment complex, rental home, or other leased property such as a stairwell, parking lot, or hallway the landlord may be responsible for failing to maintain that space.
- Property managers: Third-party companies hired to manage and maintain a property share in the obligation to keep it safe. When their negligence leads to your injury, they can be named in your claim.
- Government agencies: Falls that occur on public sidewalks, in government buildings, or on other publicly owned property may give rise to a claim against the City of Albuquerque or the State of New Mexico. These cases have specific notice requirements and shorter deadlines making it critical to speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still pursue a claim if I was partially at fault for my fall?
Yes. New Mexico follows a “pure comparative negligence” rule under NMSA Section 41-3A-1, which means you can recover compensation even if you were partially at fault. Your award is simply reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are found 20% at fault and your damages total $100,000, you would still recover $80,000. An attorney can help minimize any fault attributed to you.
What if the property owner claims they didn't know about the hazard?
Property owners can still be liable even if they claim ignorance of the dangerous condition. The legal standard is whether they “knew or should have known” about the hazard through reasonable inspection and maintenance. If a hazard existed long enough that a diligent property owner would have discovered and corrected it, that may be sufficient to establish liability.
How long does a slip and fall case typically take to resolve?
The timeline varies significantly by case. Some straightforward claims settle with the insurance company within a few months. Cases involving serious injuries, disputed liability, or uncooperative insurers can take a year or more and cases that go to trial may take longer still. Your attorney can give you a clearer estimate once your specific circumstances are reviewed.
What if the slip and fall happened at a government property, like a city sidewalk or public building?
Claims against government entities in New Mexico require you to file a formal notice of claim within 90 days of the incident under the New Mexico Tort Claims Act. This is a much shorter deadline than the standard three-year statute of limitations. Missing this notice deadline can permanently bar your claim. If you were injured on public property, contact our office immediately.
What if I didn't seek medical attention right away does that hurt my case?
A gap between your accident and your first medical visit can make it harder to directly link your injuries to the fall, and insurance companies will almost certainly use it against you. However, it doesn’t automatically disqualify your claim. If you haven’t seen a doctor yet, do so as soon as possible and be straightforward with your physician about when and how the injury occurred. Our team can help present the medical evidence in the most favorable light for your case.
Derick Runion
“The goal is to resolve all of our clients’ cases without the need to file a lawsuit because we’re sensitive to the amount of time and the stress that it can cause in our clients’ lives going through that process.”
How Long You Have to File a Claim
Time is not on your side. New Mexico’s statute of limitations gives most slip and fall victims three years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. If you miss that deadline, you lose the right to pursue compensation no matter how strong your case is.
There are even shorter deadlines if your fall occurred on government-owned property, such as a city-maintained sidewalk or public building. In those situations, you may be required to file a formal notice of claim within a matter of months.
The message is simple: don’t wait. Contact Runion Personal Injury Lawyer as soon as possible to protect your rights.
Contact Our Albuquerque Wrongful Death Lawyers Today
Losing a loved one to someone else’s negligence leaves your family facing grief, financial uncertainty, and an insurance company that’s already working to minimize what they owe you. You shouldn’t have to navigate that alone. At Runion Personal Injury, our Albuquerque wrongful death attorneys are ready to take that fight off your hands. We’ve recovered over $50 million for injured clients across New Mexico and Arizona, and we work on a no-win, no-fee basis so there’s no financial risk in reaching out.
The sooner you contact us, the better. Critical evidence medical records, accident reports, witness accounts, and physical evidence disappears fast after a fatal incident. New Mexico’s wrongful death statute also puts a hard three-year deadline on your family’s right to file, starting from the date of your loved one’s death.
Evidence is Vital in Supporting Your Albuquerque Slip and Fall Claim
Building a winning case requires solid evidence. The key types of documentation that support a slip and fall claim include:
- Incident or police reports: If an official report was filed at the scene, it creates a contemporaneous record of what happened and where.
- Medical records: Your medical documentation ties your injuries directly to the accident and establishes their severity and cost.
- Photos and video evidence: Photographs of the hazard, your injuries, and the surrounding area are some of the most powerful evidence in a slip and fall case. Surveillance footage from nearby cameras can also be critical.
- Eyewitness statements: Statements from people who saw the accident or were aware of the dangerous condition can significantly strengthen your claim.
- Maintenance and inspection records: Evidence that the property owner knew — or should have known — about the hazard and failed to fix it is often decisive.
We understand that gathering this evidence while you’re recovering from an injury is a lot to ask. That’s exactly why we’re here. Let our team take on that burden while you focus on healing.
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Case Results
Over $50 Million recovered
$1,250,000
- Car Accident
Runion Personal Injury Lawyers filed suit against a company whose superintendent collided with our client’s vehicle necessitating neck and back surgery. Our firm obtained policy limits in the amount of $1.25 million from the company and its superintendent.
$600,000
- Car Accident
Our client was involved in a serious collision while driving her vehicle, resulting in head trauma and other injuries. Runion Personal Injury Lawyers presented scientific evidence to link her aneurysm to the automobile collision and obtained a $600,000.00 settlement for the client.
What Our Clients Say
After my car accident I was knee deep in medical bills and insurance claim paperwork. Runion personal injury lawyer has some of the best lawyers for car accidents. They worked professionally and in a timely matter to make all the paperwork and process for the injury claim to go a lot faster. Didn’t have to fight the insurance to deal with this rear end accident. I love how quickly they got me a great settlement and always kept in touch with me and kept me up to date on everything. I thought I was going to be at a complete lost but thanks to some of the best lawyers especially in New Mexico they got me a great settlement when the insurance was make it a hassle. Definitely if you need a lawyer in New Mexico go with Runion personal lawyer.
Tay
Great personal injury lawyer! I was in a car accident at work in New Mexico and had problems. I had to move back to California and Runion Personal Injury Lawyers was still able to work with me. They were very friendly and kind and easy to work with. Got me a quick settlement back and it was what I was expecting. If you’re looking for a personal injury lawyer I highly recommend Runion.
Cameron Ingram
Working With Us Is Easy And No-Risk
Get Better. Get Compensated. Get Justice.
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