Holding Negligent Truckers and Cargo Loaders Accountable Across New Mexico
Hunt Law Firm represents people injured by unsecured, shifting, or fallen truck cargo throughout Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and the rest of New Mexico. Loose freight, spilled loads, and improperly distributed weight can turn a routine drive on I-25 or I-40 into a catastrophic collision. Our Santa Fe truck accident attorneys investigate how the load failed, identify every party responsible, and pursue full compensation for your injuries. We work on a contingency basis, so you pay no attorney fees unless we recover for you.
Why Choose Hunt Law Firm
When unsecured cargo causes a serious crash, you need a firm that knows how to trace the failure back to the people responsible. Hunt Law Firm offers New Mexico injury victims:
- Years of experience handling complex truck and commercial vehicle claims
- A thorough investigation of loading records, securement logs, and federal safety violations
- Assertive negotiation with trucking companies and their insurers
- Trial-ready advocates who have recovered millions of dollars for injured clients
- Personal attention from attorneys Lee Hunt, Cynthia L. Zedalis, and Aimee Bevan
- A contingency fee structure with no attorneys’ fees unless we win
- Free, no-pressure consultations to evaluate your case
- Founding attorney Lee Hunt recognized by Super Lawyers – New Mexico 2013 to Present – Top 25 Attorneys in the State
From our Santa Fe office, we represent injured clients in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Los Alamos, Raton, Roswell, and across New Mexico. This combination of experience, resources, and statewide reach allows our team to effectively handle even the most complex unsecured cargo injury claims.
What Causes Unsecured Cargo Truck Accidents?
Unsecured cargo accidents happen when freight is not properly contained, balanced, or tied down. Common causes include:
- Loads that shift during turns or sudden braking, throwing the truck off balance
- Cargo that falls or spills onto the roadway and strikes other vehicles
- Overloaded or unevenly distributed weight that makes a truck harder to control
- Improperly fastened straps, chains, or tarps that fail in transit
- Tall or top-heavy loads that contribute to tip-overs
A shifting or falling load can cause a rollover or jackknife accident, a multi-vehicle pileup, or a direct strike on a passing car. These crashes are often more severe than ordinary collisions because the danger comes from the truck’s weight and its cargo at the same time.
What Do Federal Cargo Securement Rules Require?
Commercial trucks that travel on public roads must follow federal cargo securement standards. Under those rules, every load must be secured so it cannot leak, spill, blow, or fall from the vehicle, and it must be contained or immobilized so it does not shift enough to affect the truck’s stability or steering.
Trucking companies must use the correct tiedowns, anchor points, and securement devices for the type of freight they carry. When a carrier or driver skips these steps to save time, a violation of the federal rules can serve as powerful evidence of negligence in your injury claim.
Who Is Liable for an Unsecured Cargo Accident in New Mexico?
More than one party may be responsible for a cargo-related crash. Depending on how the load failed, liability can fall on:
- The truck driver, who is responsible for inspecting and confirming the load is secure
- The trucking company, which may be liable for its drivers and for inadequate training or supervision
- A separate loading or shipping company that packed or secured the trailer
- A maintenance provider whose faulty securement equipment failed
Identifying every responsible party matters in New Mexico, because each at-fault party is generally responsible only for its own share of the damages. Naming all of them helps protect your full recovery. We examine bills of lading, loading records, and inspection reports to pinpoint who failed and why.
What Injuries Result from Unsecured Cargo Crashes?
Because commercial trucks are large and heavy, victims of cargo-related crashes often suffer severe harm. We handle personal injury claims involving spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, internal organ damage, and other life-altering conditions.
New Mexico law allows injured plaintiffs to recover economic damages such as:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages and income
- Decreased future earning capacity
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Long-term personal and/or nursing care
An injured party may also recover non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, disfigurement, permanent impairment, and diminished quality of life. In cases involving especially reckless conduct, punitive damages may also be available. Our team works with medical and financial experts to calculate the full, long-term cost of your injuries.
How Does New Mexico’s Fault System Affect Your Claim?
New Mexico is a fault-based state, which means the party who caused the crash is financially responsible for the damages. The state also follows a pure comparative negligence rule. Under this rule, you can still recover compensation even if you were partly at fault, although your award is reduced by your percentage of fault.
Insurance companies often try to shift blame onto the injured driver to cut what they pay. Having an attorney review the evidence early helps counter those arguments and protect the value of your claim.
How Long Do You Have to File a Claim in New Mexico?
In most New Mexico personal injury cases, you have three years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit. If you wait too long, the court can dismiss your case and you may lose the right to recover anything.
Claims against a government entity fall under New Mexico’s Tort Claims Act, which generally requires written notice within 90 days of the injury and a lawsuit within two years, shorter than the usual three-year deadline. Because evidence like loading records and securement logs can disappear quickly, it is best to speak with an attorney as soon as possible after an unsecured cargo accident.
Talk to a Santa Fe Unsecured Cargo Accident Attorney Today
If you or a loved one was hurt by a shifting or fallen truck load, Hunt Law Firm can investigate the crash, identify everyone responsible, and fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact Hunt Law Firm today for a free, no-pressure consultation. You pay no attorneys’ fees unless we recover for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is at fault when cargo falls off a truck in New Mexico?
Fault can rest with the driver, the trucking company, or a third party that loaded or secured the trailer. Because the cause is often hidden in loading and inspection records, an attorney can investigate to identify every responsible party.
Is a dropped or spilled load a violation of the law?
Often, yes. Federal cargo securement rules require loads to be secured so they cannot fall, spill, or shift dangerously. A violation of those standards can be strong evidence of negligence in an injury claim.
What should I do after an unsecured cargo accident?
Seek medical care, report the crash to law enforcement, and document the scene if you can. Avoid giving a recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurer until you have spoken with an attorney who can protect your rights.