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Your Anniston Personal Injury Attorney
The short answer. In Alabama most injury claims must be filed within two years (Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l)). A child under 19, or a person who is legally insane when the claim arises, may have more time (Ala. Code § 6-2-8(a)). The trial court for Calhoun County sits in Anniston, at 25 West 11th Street, Anniston, AL 36201. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
Nobody plans for the call that follows an accident. Whether you were hurt in a crash, a fall or something else in Anniston, the weeks afterward bring decisions that feel bigger than they should. Here is what Alabama law says, in plain terms, so you can ask better questions.
A quick note on what this page is: general information about Alabama injury law, written from the statutes, from a matching service that does not practice law. It is meant to help you ask good questions, not to decide your case.
Before You Hire: Questions For An Anniston Attorney
Bring these to your first call, whoever it is with:
- The deadline. Ask the attorney to name the exact last day to file for your claim. The general limit for injury claims in Alabama is two years (Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l)).
- If you were partly to blame. Ask what happens to your award if a jury finds you share the blame.
- Any ceiling. Ask whether any rule restricts the amount you could recover in Alabama.
- Fees and costs. Ask what the fee is, when it is paid, and which expenses are deducted from a settlement.
- Who will work on it. Ask who handles your file day to day and how fast messages are answered.
Kinds of Injury Claims
Vehicle crashes
Whether the collision was minor or serious, the same early steps help: get checked by a doctor, photograph the vehicles and the scene, exchange insurance information and keep any repair estimates.
Pedestrian and bicycle injuries
Walkers and cyclists hurt by a vehicle should write down the location, the time of day, the lighting and the signals as soon as they can. Witnesses who stopped are valuable, so ask for their contact details before they leave.
Falls and unsafe property
Wet floors, icy steps and broken railings cause injuries that turn on how long the hazard existed and who was responsible for it. Photograph the hazard as soon as you can and report the fall to whoever runs the property.
Wrongful death
When a death is caused by someone else’s wrongful act or neglect, the claim works differently from an injury claim. A wrongful death claim follows its own rules in Alabama; ask an attorney which date applies (Ala. Code § 6-5-410). This is a hard moment to decide anything, and an attorney can walk you through the steps without hurrying you.
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When You Were Partly At Fault
In Alabama, being partly at fault can bar a claim altogether.
A claim can be barred if you share any of the blame, with narrow exceptions in some cases. Photographs, witness names and medical records help show where the fault lies.
What An Award Can Include
What an injured person can recover in Alabama is shown by the records and the medical proof. How fault is assigned can also change the amount.
The amount is a question of proof. Punitive damages are limited separately (Ala. Code § 6-11-21(a)).
Time Limits To Know
A lawsuit for most injuries in Alabama must be started within two years (Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l)). Extra time can be available for a child and in some other limited situations (Ala. Code § 6-2-8(a)).
A claim against a government body usually has its own claim or notice steps that must be followed before you sue, so ask early (Ala. Code § 11-47-23). If someone died, a separate set of rules can apply (Ala. Code § 6-5-410). Ask in your first conversation which date applies to your claim.
Why Policy Limits Matter
The least liability coverage an auto policy in Alabama can provide is $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injury to two or more people in one accident and $25,000 for property damage (Ala. Code § 32-7-6(c)).
Those figures are floors, and a serious injury can cost more than the other driver’s policy pays. They are minimums, not a measure of what your claim is worth.
Courts and Hospitals Near Anniston
The Census Bureau places Anniston in Calhoun County. The Alabama court directory lists the 7th Judicial Circuit circuit court for Calhoun County in Anniston, at 25 West 11th Street, Anniston, AL 36201. In Anniston, the Alabama Department of Public Health, Alabama Trauma System list of trauma centers names Northeast Alabama Regional Medical Center as a Level III trauma center.
Ask every provider for your full records and an itemized bill, and keep a running list of appointments. A transfer between hospitals leaves two sets of records, so request both.
Starting Your Claim Review In Anniston
Use the form at the top of the page to tell us what happened. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Alabama. There is no charge to submit it, and submitting it does not hire anyone.
Meanwhile, jot down the facts while they are fresh: date, time, place, who was there, what care you have had and what work you have missed. Save every bill and every message from an insurer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the other driver’s policy enough to cover my injuries?
At least $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injury to two or more people in one accident and $25,000 for property damage (Ala. Code § 32-7-6(c)). A crash with several injured people can use up limits quickly. It helps to learn early what other coverage may exist.
What should go in my claim folder?
Hold on to your medical bills and records. Add photographs of the scene and of your injuries. Pay stubs that show missed work, repair estimates and every letter or email from an insurer belong in the folder too.
Should I speak with the other driver’s insurance company?
You are free to talk, but nothing requires an immediate recorded statement. Keep it short and take the adjuster’s name and claim number. Nothing you say can be taken back, so take your time.
Do I have to give notice before suing a government body?
Special rules may apply. Special claim or notice steps can apply (Ala. Code § 11-47-23). The notice steps can differ from those for other claims. Write down the date and place of the injury.
Which court would hear an injury case from Anniston?
The court is chosen by the type and size of the case and where the injury happened. Ask your attorney to confirm it. The court listing described above names the local court locations.
When must an injury lawsuit be filed in Alabama?
Within two years for most injury claims (Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l)). The period can be longer for a child, and a few other situations extend it too (Ala. Code § 6-2-8(a)). An early start protects the evidence.
Can I still recover if the accident was partly my fault?
Under Alabama law, a claim can be barred if you share any of the blame, with narrow exceptions in some cases. Ask how the rule would be argued in your case. Raise it early with any attorney you speak with.
Does Alabama put a ceiling on pain and suffering?
It depends on the bills, the missed work and the lasting effects, and an attorney can tell you whether any rule limits the amount. The amount depends on the facts of your claim. Ask an attorney whether any rule reaches your claim.
Help Elsewhere in Alabama
People are hurt in every part of Alabama. These pages cover other communities.
