Vestavia Hills Personal Injury Lawyer
If you were recently hurt in an accident such as a car crash, slip and fall, or because of a dangerous product, you may have what is known as a personal injury case. At Drake Injury Lawyers, we can use over 25 years of experience handling personal injury cases to help you seek justice and financial compensation from the person or party at fault for your accident. Our lawyers can play a critical role in your ability to recover and move forward. Request a free consultation with our lawyers in Vestavia Hills, Alabama today.
What Does a Personal Injury Attorney Do?
While it is not legally required to hire a personal injury attorney to represent you, doing so can be the best way to successfully manage your case. Unlike an insurance company, an attorney’s goal is to maximize your financial recovery. This will put you in a better position to obtain the financial compensation that you deserve after an accident. An attorney will work tirelessly to achieve your goals using services such as:
- Thoroughly investigating the accident.
- Evaluating your injuries and the value of your case.
- Hiring qualified experts to help you prove your case and losses.
- Connecting you to the best doctors in Alabama for medical treatment.
- Speaking to insurance claims adjusters and negotiating a settlement on your behalf.
- Taking your Vestavia Hills personal injury case to trial, if necessary.
A personal injury attorney is a trusted advocate during a difficult time in your life, helping you with complicated legal processes and answering your questions along the way. With help from the right attorney in Alabama, you can get your life back together and hold someone accountable for causing your injuries.
Our Practice Areas
At Drake Injury Lawyers, our personal injury attorneys have a great deal of experience representing individuals and families in the fight for justice. We have helped thousands of clients get the results that they need. In the past 10 years alone, we have successfully resolved more than 1,000 personal injury cases and recovered well over $100 million. Our law firm accepts the following types of cases, and more:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Daycare injuries
- Hospital negligence
- Nursing home abuse
- Product liability
- Auto defects
- Premises liability
- Slip and fall accidents
- Dog bite injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Brain injuries
- Burn injuries
- Wrongful death
Our personal injury lawyers can help you with any type of case, whether you have a serious injury or illness or a loved one died in a preventable accident. We offer free initial consultations for all case types in Vestavia Hills.
What Are the Elements of a Personal Injury Case?
Before you can recover financial compensation for your injuries and losses, you or your lawyer must prove that you have the necessary elements for a personal injury case. You will only have grounds to file a lawsuit if there is an applicable legal doctrine, such as negligence, strict liability or breach of warranty.
Negligence is the most common ground for a personal injury lawsuit in Alabama. Negligence means that a person or party has fallen short of the necessary level of care. If a driver didn’t pay attention to the road and collided with a pedestrian, for example, the driver is guilty of negligence. Proving negligence as an injured accident victim requires evidence of four elements:
- The defendant owed you a duty of care, or an obligation to act reasonably and prudently.
- The defendant committed a breach or violation of the duty of care.
- You suffered compensable damages in the event.
- The defendant’s action or omission is what caused your injuries and losses.
The strict liability doctrine, on the other hand, does not require evidence that a defendant breached a duty of care. Breach of warranty is used most often in product liability cases. It claims that the defendant did not fulfill a promise to the plaintiff and that this caused the injury. Find out if you have grounds for a claim after sustaining a serious injury in Alabama by consulting with an attorney.
Alabama Personal Injury Laws
Assistance from an attorney can benefit you in many ways. One advantage is having an experienced and licensed personal injury lawyer navigating Alabama’s laws on your behalf. There are many laws that you must follow to have a valid and successful personal injury case in Alabama. Three of the most important are:
- The burden of proof. Personal injury law places the burden of proof on the victim, or plaintiff. This means it is the plaintiff (or plaintiff’s attorney) who must establish that the defendant is at fault. The burden of proof is a preponderance of the evidence, or clear and convincing evidence that the elements being claimed are more likely to be true than not true.
- Statute of limitations. A statute of limitations is a legal deadline that a plaintiff must follow or else risk the right to file at all. In Alabama, the statute of limitations on most personal injury cases is two years from the date of the accident, or the date that the plaintiff discovered or reasonably should have discovered the injury.
- Contributory negligence law. Contributory negligence is a rule in Alabama that states that a plaintiff can be barred from making a financial recovery if the courts allocate any portion of fault to the plaintiff for the accident in question. Comparative negligence states, on the other hand, still allow plaintiffs to recover partial compensation with some degree of fault.
Hiring a personal injury attorney to represent you from the beginning of your case can result in an easier and more effective legal process. An attorney can help you work through the laws that are relevant to your accident case, as well as avoid common filing mistakes for a more successful claim.
Injured in an Accident in Vestavia Hills, Alabama? Speak to a Personal Injury Attorney Today
If you or someone you love has been injured in a recent accident in Vestavia Hills, you may have the right to recover financial compensation. A just monetary award can help you pay your bills and move forward. Discuss your individual case with one of our attorneys at no charge or obligation to hire our law firm today. Contact us online to request your free consultation. Call (205) 970-0800 to speak to our Birmingham personal injury attorneys today.