N.M. Stat. § 62-14-6
Liability for damage to underground facilities.
A. If any underground facility is damaged by any person who failed to make
reasonable efforts to determine its location as provided in Chapter 62, Article 14 NMSA
1978, that person shall reimburse the owner of the underground facility for the actual
cost of the damage to the underground facility, including the cost of restoration of
services. The person engaging in the excavation may also be liable to the owner or
operator of the underground facility for the comparative negligence of the person
engaging in the excavation which results in damage to the facility for an additional
amount not to exceed three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) for each occurrence.
B. If any underground facility is damaged by any person who has made reasonable
efforts to determine its location and the damaged underground facility was correctly
located by the owner or operator of the underground facility as provided in Section 62-
14-5 NMSA 1978, then that person causing the damage shall be liable to the owner or
operator of the underground facility for only the actual cost of damage to the
underground facility, including the cost of restoration of service.
C. If any underground facility is damaged by any person who has made reasonable
efforts to determine its location and damage to the underground facility is caused by the
failure of the owner or operator to correctly locate that underground facility as provided
in Section 62-14-5 NMSA 1978, then the person engaging in the excavation shall have
no liability for the damage to that facility.
D. It is not the intent of Chapter 62, Article 14 NMSA 1978 to impose civil liability to
any person beyond that provided in this section.