Getting help fast protects your health and your claim. Our team offers free consultations 24/7, contingency-fee representation, and flexible meetings at home, hospital, or virtually.
Albuquerque motorcycle accident lawyer Mark Callender and Albuquerque motorcycle accident attorney Josh Bowlin lead cases for riders and families across Bernalillo County. We have deep familiarity with Central Ave., Coors Blvd., I-25, Paseo del Norte, and other local corridors where bike crashes concentrate.
When you call (505) 302-2995, we move quickly to preserve evidence, secure medical documentation, and stop insurer tactics that minimize payouts.
“I highly recommend this firm. Our situation was very unfortunate but this team had our mom’s best interests at heart.” – Tim M.
What To Do Right Now After a Motorcycle Crash
Immediate steps after a crash can shape the outcome of a claim. Fast action also prevents the other driver’s insurer from controlling the story.
1) Get medical care and document injuries. Go to the ER or urgent care even if you “feel okay.” Internal trauma, TBI, and spinal injuries are often delayed; prompt diagnosis links symptoms to the crash.
2) Call APD and get the crash number. A police report anchors basic facts like time, location, and preliminary fault indicators. Ask the officer how to obtain your CRN and follow up quickly.
3) Capture scene evidence. Photograph bike damage, skid marks, debris fields, helmet/gear damage, vehicle positions, traffic signals, and sightlines. Note surrounding businesses and request they preserve CCTV.
4) Gather witness information. Independent witnesses are persuasive on left-turns, unsafe merges, blind-spot hits, and speeding. Record names, phone numbers, and a short voice memo of what they saw.
5) Notify insurers but do not give recorded statements to the other side. Provide basic notice to your carrier only. Refer all other calls to counsel so your words cannot be twisted against you.
When riders hire Albuquerque motorcycle accident lawyer Mark Callender or retain Albuquerque motorcycle accident attorney Josh Bowlin early, we coordinate care, shield communications, and set a clean evidentiary record from day one.
Understanding Fault in New Mexico Motorcycle Wrecks
Liability flows from the conduct that created unreasonable risk. New Mexico applies pure comparative negligence, which means each party’s damages are reduced by their percentage of fault.
Common at-fault scenarios. Left-turns across the rider’s lane, unsafe merges or lane changes, blind-spot collisions, dooring from parked cars, unsafe passing on narrow corridors, speeding, DUI, distracted driving, and road defects or negligent construction zones routinely cause Albuquerque crashes. Central Ave. visibility, Coors Blvd. speed differentials, and I-25 on-/off-ramp merges are frequent risk points.
Pure comparative negligence-how partial fault changes payout. If total damages are $200,000 and a rider is found 20% at fault for lane position, the recovery becomes $160,000. If a driver is 90% at fault for a left-turn and the rider 10% for slight speed overage, a $300,000 loss becomes $270,000. The rule allows recovery even at high rider fault; it simply scales the award.
What if the rider lacked a helmet? New Mexico does not mandate helmets for adults, but minors must wear them. Insurers may argue failure to wear a helmet increases injury severity; we counter with medical causation analysis, crash dynamics, and the legal standard that fault—not lawful gear choices—drives liability.
When the stakes are high, Albuquerque motorcycle accident lawyer Josh Bowlin builds liability proof with reconstruction and human-factors analysis. When litigation is needed, Albuquerque motorcycle accident attorney Mark Callender tries the case and makes the comparative-fault math fair.
Your Right to Compensation
Compensation aims to make injured people whole. Damages cover both economic losses and the human losses that follow serious injury.
Economic losses. ER visits, hospitalizations, surgeries, prescriptions, physical therapy, durable medical equipment, home modifications, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, and bike/gear replacement are recoverable with records and expert support.
Non-economic losses. Pain, PTSD, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, disfigurement, and permanent limitations reflect how the crash changed daily living. We connect medical findings to credible narratives that juries understand.
Punitive damages. Reckless conduct can trigger punishment damages to deter future misconduct. We develop full evidence of impairment, prior similar behavior, and aggravating facts to put punitive exposure on the table.
Deadlines & Exceptions
Deadlines control whether a case can be filed at all. New Mexico’s standard statute of limitations for injury claims is three years from the date of the crash.
Wrongful death cases and claims against governmental entities can involve shorter timelines and pre-suit notice rules. Early counsel ensures notice letters, evidence preservation, and expert inspections occur before time expires. Delay risks lost footage, repaired vehicles, missing witnesses, and weakened leverage in negotiations.
Albuquerque-Specific Insights Riders Should Know
Local context helps explain how and why crashes occur. Albuquerque sees recurring patterns at high-volume corridors and complex intersections.
Corridors and patterns. Central Ave. combines pedestrian activity, frequent left-turns, and abrupt lane changes. Coors Blvd. mixes high speeds with access roads and driveways. I-25 interchanges create visibility and timing challenges for drivers who misjudge a motorcycle’s approach speed. Montgomery Blvd. and Paseo del Norte present similar lane-change and merge hazards.
Helmet law basics and safe-riding advice. Adults are not required to wear helmets in New Mexico, while minors must wear them. From a claims perspective, ATGATT (All The Gear, All The Time) preserves both health and proof of mechanism—damaged gear often corroborates impact forces and body positioning.
How We Build & Win Motorcycle Cases
Strong cases are built with early evidence control, clear liability theories, and medical causation that ties injuries to crash mechanics. We prepare every claim as if it will be tried.
Scene preservation and private investigation. We conduct business-by-business CCTV canvasses, secure dashcam footage, and inspect the roadway for sightline obstructions, signage issues, and surface defects. Where vehicles have EDR/telemetry, we coordinate downloads and preserve custody.
Liability proof. We retain reconstructionists to analyze speed, angles, and reaction windows. Human-factors experts address conspicuity, headlight usage, and driver “looked-but-failed-to-see” errors. Visibility studies and nighttime photography replicate conditions on Central, Coors, and I-25.
Medical proof. We work with trauma surgeons, neurologists, and rehabilitation specialists to explain TBIs, spinal cord injuries, fractures, and internal injuries. We link imaging to kinematics and show how symptoms restrict work and daily life.
Insurers and subrogation. We manage communications, challenge lowball valuations, and coordinate medical liens. We also leverage UM/UIM strategies for hit-and-runs or underinsured drivers so no available coverage is left untouched.
From first call to verdict, the Albuquerque motorcycle accident attorneys at Callender Bowlin maintain direct attorney access and regular updates so clients never wonder what comes next.
What Injuries Are Common in Motorcycle Accidents?
Injury patterns reflect the limited protection a bike provides. Even low-speed impacts can cause severe harm.
Head and spinal injuries. Concussions, diffuse axonal injury, herniated discs, and spinal cord damage can produce lasting cognitive or mobility deficits. Early diagnostics and consistent follow-up care are critical to outcomes and proof.
Fractures, amputations, and road rash. Tib-fib, femur, pelvis, clavicle, and wrist fractures are frequent and often surgical. Severe road rash carries infection risk and scarring. Traumatic amputations or degloving injuries demand long-term support.
Internal injuries. Organ contusions, internal bleeding, and chest/abdominal trauma may be subtle at first. Serial exams and imaging connect delayed symptoms to the original crash event.
Albuquerque motorcycle accident lawyer Josh Bowlin develops life-care plans that capture future needs, while Albuquerque motorcycle accident attorney Mark Callender presents those needs to insurers, mediators, and juries with clarity.
What Types of Motorcycle Accident Cases We Handle
Case categories span everyday traffic errors to complex roadway and product-defect claims. Breadth matters because multiple defendants may share fault.
Common cases. Car-vs-motorcycle collisions, left-turn impacts, unsafe lane changes, blind-spot sideswipes, dooring in urban corridors, and unsafe passing on multilane roads are routine.
Uncommon but important cases. Defective motorcycle or component failures (brakes, tires, front forks), negligent road construction or traffic control, commercial truck vs. bike collisions with federal regs in play, uninsured/underinsured motorist claims, and chain-reaction multi-vehicle pileups demand specialized investigation.
Where Motorcycle Accidents Happen Most in Albuquerque
Location details help juries understand foreseeability and fault. Patterns repeat on busy corridors and at complex junctions.
Roads and intersections. Central Ave., Coors Blvd., I-25, Montgomery Blvd., and Paseo del Norte appear repeatedly in APD reports. Left-turn pockets without protected arrows, multi-lane merges, and driveways near intersections amplify risk.
Local knowledge advantage. Our familiarity with Bernalillo County courts, common crash patterns, and typical defense narratives shortens the path from investigation to resolution. We pair mapping exhibits with scene photos to make fault intuitive.
How Can a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Help Me?
A focused motorcycle practice changes outcomes. Process, pressure, and preparation are the differences.
Investigation and experts. We retain reconstructionists, human-factors specialists, and medical experts early to frame liability and causation. Timely subpoenas lock in third-party footage and data before it disappears.
Insurance handling and UM/UIM. We take over all communications, assemble a complete demand with medical and wage support, and negotiate firmly. In hit-and-run or underinsured cases, we invoke UM/UIM to access additional limits.
Trial readiness. We draft complaints, take depositions, and file motions that narrow defenses. Trial preparation also drives settlement value; carriers pay attention when the Albuquerque motorcycle accident attorneys at Callender Bowlin show we are ready to pick a jury.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Clear answers calm uncertainty and prevent mistakes. Informed riders make better choices and stronger cases.
What if I wasn’t wearing a helmet?
Adults are not required to wear helmets in New Mexico. Lack of a helmet may fuel insurer arguments on injury severity, but liability still turns on the driver’s negligence and the medical link between mechanism and harm.
Should I talk to the other driver’s insurer?
No. Provide basic info to your carrier and refer all other contacts to counsel. Recorded statements are designed to minimize claims.
How much is my case worth?
Value depends on liability, medical proof, wage loss, future care, and how injuries limit daily life. We prepare a full damages model before negotiations so offers reflect the whole picture.
How long will my case take?
Straightforward claims can settle in months once treatment stabilizes; litigated cases take longer due to discovery and court settings. Trial readiness accelerates fair outcomes.
What if the driver fled (hit-and-run)?
We pursue APD investigation leads, canvass for CCTV and dashcams, and trigger UM coverage to compensate you even if the driver is never identified.
Can family file after a fatal crash (wrongful death)?
Yes. The personal representative brings the claim for the benefit of statutory beneficiaries, with damages for economic loss and the human harm of the loss.
Why Hire a Motorcycle-Focused Team
Specialized advocacy levels the field against insurers and defense experts. Riders deserve attorneys who understand visibility, braking dynamics, and human-factors traps.
Track record, trial posture, and proof. We highlight rider-specific investigations, prior results, and courtroom experience to signal real risk to the defense. Our demands show not just numbers, but why a jury will agree.
Communication that respects your recovery. We offer direct attorney access, regular updates, and clear next steps so clients never feel in the dark. Healing requires focus; we handle the fight.
When needed, the Albuquerque motorcycle accident attorneys at Callender Bowlin bring in bilingual staff and schedule around therapy and medical appointments to reduce stress for clients and families.
Call Callender Bowlin Today for a Free Consultation
Taking the first step now protects your rights and strengthens your case. Deadlines move quickly, and valuable evidence does not wait.
Contact Callender Bowlin at (505) 302-2995 to speak directly with Albuquerque motorcycle accident lawyer Mark Callender or attorney Josh Bowlin, visit us in person at 609 Gold Ave. SW, Suite 1D, Albuquerque, NM 87102, or conveniently submit our free consultation form online. Your consultation is free, there are no upfront fees, and we do not get paid unless we win for you.