Injured patients were always outnumbered. I wanted to be the one person standing fully on their side.
When I was a young lawyer, I watched ordinary people go up against hospitals, insurance companies, and rooms full of defense attorneys, almost always alone and almost always outmatched. That imbalance never sat right with me.
It is the reason I built a solo, hands-on practice instead of a large firm, and the reason that more than 40 years later, across southern New Mexico, I still take every call and argue every case myself. I did not build this practice to be the biggest firm in the region. I built it so that when you call, you are talking to the lawyer who will actually handle your case, not a rotating cast of assistants or a call center reading from a script.
A bad outcome is not always malpractice. Knowing the difference is the whole job, and it starts with the records.
Before I pursue a claim, the medical side is reviewed by an independent medical professional, a physician and a lawyer who examines the records and helps pinpoint where the standard of care may have been missed. That review is what tells us whether there is a real case to pursue, and it is the same standard I have held myself to for more than 40 years of practicing in these courts.
- Bar AdmissionState Bar of New Mexico
- FocusMedical malpractice, surgical errors, misdiagnosis, and injury arising from substandard medical care
- Experience40+ years practicing before the courts of southern New Mexico
- Case Review100% of potential cases are reviewed by an independent medical professional before any claim is filed.
- Fee Structure$0 upfront cost. No attorney fee unless Tim wins your case.
Recoveries for southern New Mexico clients
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Amounts reflect prior matters; every case depends on its own facts, liability, injuries, insurance, and the law.
Settlements and verdicts won across personal injury and medical malpractice claims.
40+ years representing injured clients and fighting for fair outcomes.
Rated by clients for communication, results, and support throughout their case.
You still get Tim. Here is who helps him do it.
Every legal decision in your case, and every argument made in the courtroom, is made and delivered by Tim personally. He does not hand cases off to associates. But like any law office, he relies on a small, named staff who work with him day to day, not a rotating cast, and nothing outsourced. Here is who you may hear from between now and the resolution of a medical malpractice claim.
Ana Laura Chelpaty
Handles filing and copying documents, communicates with healthcare providers, and keeps client files current and organized.
Veronica Gavaldon-Hernandez
BSN from the University of Texas at El Paso (1993) and an MSN in Nursing Education from Grand Canyon University (2022). 13 years in pediatrics, 5 in the newborn nursery, and 16 years teaching nursing. Her clinical background helps the office understand the nursing and hospital side of a case.
An independent medical professional
Before Tim decides whether to pursue any potential case, Stephen personally reviews the medical records and interviews the client. He is, and his review is what tells the office whether there is a real claim to bring.
Questions clients ask before hiring Tim
Choosing a lawyer after a bad medical outcome is not easy. These are the questions southern New Mexico clients ask most often about working with Tim directly.
See Tim's practice areas →Yes. Tim personally handles every medical malpractice case in his office, from the first phone call through settlement or verdict. You will hear from members of his staff for scheduling, paperwork, and records requests, but the legal decisions and courtroom work are his alone.
Tim has practiced law in southern New Mexico for more than 40 years, with a practice built around medical malpractice and injury cases arising from substandard medical care. His long record before the region's courts and his case results speak to that experience. Details of his law school and bar admission year are being confirmed for this page.
No, and that is by design. Before Tim agrees to represent a client, an independent medical professional reviews the medical records and speaks with the client directly. Not every bad outcome is malpractice, and Tim would rather give you an honest answer than take on a case that does not hold up. That review is free and confidential.
Tim represents medical malpractice clients on a contingency fee. You pay no attorney fee up front, and none at all unless he recovers money for you. The initial case review is free, so there is no cost to finding out where you stand.
Ready to talk to Tim, personally?
If a doctor's mistake changed your life, or the life of someone you love, you deserve a straight answer from the attorney who will actually handle your case, not a call center. The initial case review is free and confidential.