The pain of losing a loved one can be overwhelming. The tragedy becomes even harder to bear when that death occurred as a result of someone else’s negligence. If you can prove that your loved one died as a result of another’s negligence or recklessness, you may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent party.
Wrongful death occurs when a person dies as a result of the actions or inactions of another person. When a person’s negligence or recklessness causes death in New Mexico, the victim’s loved ones can file a wrongful death lawsuit. However, you must file this lawsuit within the state’s specified timeframe, also known as the statute of limitations.
New Mexico’s wrongful death statute of limitations
In New Mexico, wrongful death falls under Chapter 41 of the state’s legal code. This statute outlines crucial rights and remedial measures for the decedent’s family. New Mexico’s wrongful death laws allow the victim’s family to pursue a claim on similar grounds that the victim would have pursued if they had survived the incident that caused their death. Some of the incidents that can result in a wrongful death suit in Mexico include the following:
- Car crashes
- Oil field accidents
- Truck collisions
- Defective products
Types of compensation you can seek in New Mexico wrongful death lawsuits
Depending on the circumstances, you can seek compensation for any of the following during a wrongful death claim:
- Medical bills related to the fatal injury or illness
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Financial income the deceased contributed to the household
- Loss of companionship
- Mental anguish resulting from the victim’s death
- Pain and suffering the individual endured before passing on
A wrongful death lawsuit will not end the pain or bring back your loved one. However, it can provide the victim’s dependents the financial compensation they need to offset many expenses.