The average adult in New Mexico doesn't fully understand the criminal justice system, let alone the awkward point where criminal justice and civil justice intersect. Confusion, urban legends and half-truths abound when people discuss their rights as the victim of a...
Wrongful Death
What proves wrongful death in nursing homes
There are many varieties of wrongful death. Patients in nursing homes who pass on due to neglect belong in this personal injury category. Family members of victims may sue the care facility responsible for the loss of their loved one. Winning in court hinges on...
What happens when the protector fails to protect?
A four-year-old boy died two years ago, allegedly after a severe beating from a family friend. In the latest development in the death of James Dunklee Cruz, the boy’s mother and the girlfriend of the accused killer were charged with child abuse in mid-December. This...
A tragic and preventable death
The New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD) are responsible for children's safety when reports of neglect and abuse come to their attention. Excuses for their shortcomings are typical, citing a lack of oversight, continuing employee vacancies, and...
Wrongful death lawsuits can bring important results
A wrongful death lawsuit serves two main purposes. First, it can compensate the victim's family for some of the damages they face as a result of the loss of their loved one. Second, it can serve the cause of justice by holding parties accountable after their...
New Mexico CYFD sued over the death of young boy
The New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department has been accused of ignoring repeated signs of abuse and neglect in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the estate of a young boy who was beaten to death in 2019. A man who was living with the boy and his mother at...
State child services agency sued for wrongful death
Children are precious and vulnerable. They deserve to be adequately cared for in safe environments that are free of neglect and abuse. New Mexico created the Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD) to ensure they thoroughly investigate reports of abuse and...
Tragic Christmas Eve accident kills one
Another traffic accident during the holiday season has left two seriously injured and one dead. The car accident took place on Christmas Eve morning in Roswell, New Mexico, when an unidentified woman driving at excessive speeds hit two cars, causing one fatality. A...
An overview of wrongful death lawsuits
Suffering through the loss of a loved one can be a deeply emotional time for New Mexico residents, but even more so if the death was unexpected and caused by another person’s negligence or recklessness. As the grieving for such a loss unfolds, there may be legal...
What are the different types of wrongful death damages?
Wrongful death legal protections can apply in a variety of different circumstances when family members have wrongfully lost a loved one. Wrongful death legal protections can apply in situations of nursing home abuse and neglect, car accidents and other situations and...