About Gerry

GERALD A. (“Gerry”) HANRAHAN, Attorney at Law,

is a solo practitioner who represents disabled workers before the

New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Administration (WCA).

Gerry obtained his juris doctorate from Notre Dame Law School in 1984.  He was licensed to practice law in New Mexico in September 1984.  He has engaged in legal battles on behalf of individuals and against insurance companies ever since.  He has filed over 1,000 claims on behalf of injured workers and has tried over 100 cases before the WCA.  He has obtained numerous favorable decisions for his clients from the WCA, the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the State of New Mexico.

He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America under Workers’ Compensation Law every year since 1995.  In 2010, he was named Attorney of the Year in Workers’ Compensation Law by The Best Lawyers in America.  He is listed in Southwest Super Lawyers under WC Law.  He is a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association and was selected in 2009 as one of ATLA’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers in New Mexico.

He was Chairman of the “Workers’ Benefit Improvement Committee” of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Workers’ Compensation, 1999-2000.  His questions to the WCA led to “An Evaluation of New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Permanent Partial Disability and Return to Work” report by the RAND Institute for Civil Justice.  The RAND report concluded that PPD benefits in New Mexico were inadequate.  This work resulted in Legislative improvements in benefits in 2001 (increases to the maximum compensation rate, age modifier values and education modifier values).

He served as one of five members on the WCA Rules Committee in 1995-96, which drafted most of the rules that remain in force today.

His voluntary efforts in 2005 on behalf of the Brain Injury Advisory Council led to the amendment of § 52-1-25 to include traumatic brain injuries within the definition of permanent total disability.  He drafted the initial version of this amendment and participated in hearings before the Legislature.  This amendment was enacted in 2005.

He was Chairman of the WC Specialty Committee of the NM Board of Legal Specialization, 1997-2003.

Over the years he has been appointed by the WCA Director as a Judge Pro Tem, a Mediator Pro Tem, and a Guardian ad Litem.

He is a frequent lecturer on the subject of workers’ compensation law in New Mexico, often on behalf of the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association.  His extensive “Outline of Worker’s Benefits under New Mexico’s 1991 Workers’ Compensation Act” is a resource used by many attorneys.