Drugs - illicit, over-the-counter, and prescription - are designed to alter the way the body functions. Many times, these changes can make it more difficult to concentrate, focus, stay awake, and reason. None of these things equate to safe driving. So, when a person gets behind the wheel of a car, truck, or motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, it can significantly increase the odds of an accident.

If you’ve been involved in a traffic accident with a drug-impaired driver in Albuquerque, New Mexico, don’t hesitate to call the nationally acclaimed legal team at Singleton Schreiber. You can take legal action against the drug-impaired driver to recover compensation for the costs of your medical treatment, lost wages, and suffering. Our Albuquerque car accident lawyers want to help you maximize your financial recovery.

We’re award-winning Albuquerque injury attorneys who can offer approachable, trustworthy legal representation when your life has been turned upside-down. As fearless advocates backed by national resources, we’ve won well over $3 Billion for our clients. Now, we can fight for you after a drugged driving car accident, too.

Contact our law office in Albuquerque to get started and set a time for your free case review.

free case evaluation

What is Drug-Impaired Driving?

What is Drug-Impaired Driving?

Drug-impaired driving involves the operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of any amount of a drug that prevents the safe operation of that vehicle.

In other words, drug-impaired driving means getting behind the wheel of a car, truck, motorcycle, or another motor vehicle after you’ve consumed or used a drug that would make driving unsafe. 

Drug-impaired driving doesn’t always have to involve illicit drugs like marijuana, heroin, methamphetamine, or cocaine. Drivers can - and do - cause accidents while under the influence of lawfully-obtained medications, too. In fact, prescription medication use accounts for more than 46 percent of all fatal drugged driving car accidents across the nation.

Prescription and over-the-counter medications that can contribute to drug-impaired driving accidents include:

Whether a drug is illegal, purchased at the pharmacy, or prescribed by a healthcare provider, it affects changes in a person’s ability to move, think, reason, and function.

It’s common for drug side effects to include:

Driving under the influence of a drug can increase the likelihood of speeding, unsafe lane changes, tailgating, distraction, running red lights, and even road rage. If a driver experiences any of these things while behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, they might be more likely to make a mistake that causes a serious accident.

Can I Get Compensation After an Accident With a Drug-Impaired Driver in Albuquerque, NM?

As the victim of a drug-impaired traffic accident in Albuquerque, you’ll reserve the right to seek compensatory damages from the negligent motorist’s insurance company. At the very least, you should be able to recover $25,000 for damages related to your bodily injury (e.g., medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering) and up to $10,000 for damages to your property. These reflect the current state minimum insurance requirements in New Mexico.

Chances are, the drug-impaired driver has inflicted injuries and damages that far exceed what their insurance company will be willing to pay. In these situations, you can take legal action directly against the drugged driver by suing them in a New Mexico state court for negligence. You may also have the ability to pursue compensation from anyone else who directly or indirectly caused your drugged driving car accident.

For instance, if the drug-impaired driver was working at the time of the car accident, their employer may be vicariously liable for the crash. You could have a legitimate claim against their employer to recover additional damages.

What Happens If I’m Blamed For a Drug-Impaired Car Accident in Albuquerque?

There’s a chance that the drug-impaired driver or their defense attorney will claim that you’re at least partly to blame for your recent accident. Maybe they’ll argue that you were speeding, distracted, or under the influence of drugs yourself. Under New Mexico law, these allegations can hurt your ability to recover compensation, especially if they’re not disputed from the start.

New Mexico’s pure comparative fault law holds that damages are reduced proportionately to fault. The more responsibility you’re assigned for causing an auto accident in Albuquerque - even one involving a drugged driver - the less you can receive through a financial settlement or jury award.

For instance, you could expect to recover 90 percent of the value of your car accident claim if you were assigned 10 percent of the blame for a recent crash with a drugged driver.

Victims of Car Accidents With Drug-Impaired Drivers in Albuquerque Trust Singleton Schreiber

Hiring an attorney is one of the best decisions you can make when you’ve been injured or experienced the wrongful death of a family member in a drug-impaired car accident in Albuquerque.

Choosing Singleton Schreiber gives you the tools, resources, experience, and passion needed to achieve the best possible case results.

Count on our New Mexico legal team to:

With our local personal injury lawyers and national resources in your corner, you’ll be positioned to get the top-tier case results you deserve. We offer a free consultation, so call our Albuquerque, NM, law office for assistance today.

Firm News

Jump to Page

Necessary Cookies

Necessary cookies enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.

Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies help us improve our website by collecting and reporting information on its usage. We access and process information from these cookies at an aggregate level.