One of the worst days in a person’s life is when they suffer a personal injury. Whether the harm was caused intentionally or through negligence, personal injury victims have a right to be compensated for their damages.
There are numerous types of personal injuries that a person can suffer. Fortunately, an experienced Birmingham personal injury lawyer can determine what legal options for compensation are available to you. Each personal injury case presents its own challenges and requires particular evidence to prove the elements of the claim. However, there are many benefits to filing a personal injury lawsuit. A Birmingham personal injury lawsuit is the best option a victim has to recoup more compensation as it can provide damages that insurance is not intended to cover.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a personal injury, our Birmingham personal injury lawyers can help you get the compensation you deserve. For a free case review, contact Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
Personal Injury Cases That Our Birmingham, AL Personal Injury Lawyers Handle
Personal injury law encompasses a broad area of legal issues, which our Birmingham personal injury lawyers have years of experience handling. Many personal injury lawsuits in Birmingham are filed because of the negligent conduct of another person. Other personal injury lawsuits are intended to hold a party accountable for intentionally harming a victim. The following are the types of cases our Birmingham personal injury lawyers handle:
- Auto accidents
- Construction accidents
- Distracted driving accidents
- Drunk driving accidents
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Uber and Lyft accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Truck accidents
- Amazon delivery truck accidents
- Bus accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Wrongful death accidents
Each personal injury case requires different legal strategies to meet the challenges involved. If you have been injured, our Birmingham personal injury lawyers have the skills and experience to help you determine if you have a strong case.
Evidence Used to Prove a Birmingham, AL Personal Injury Lawsuit
Evidence is perhaps the most important part of a personal injury case. Evidence is used to prove a personal injury lawsuit and recover compensation for the victim’s injuries. There are numerous pieces of evidence that our Birmingham personal injury lawyers can gather from different sources, depending on the circumstances of your case.
Accident Reports and Medical Records
Some of the most important evidence used in most personal injury cases are accident reports and medical records. Accident reports are typically made just after the accident while the accident is freshest in the victim’s memory. The accident reports will also contain statements made by witnesses on the scene. These reports are given great weight given the closeness in time to when the accident occurred. Your medical records will also have significant value because they will detail the extent of your injuries and any statements you gave to the medical providers.
Eyewitness Statements
Our Birmingham personal injury lawyers can also interview witnesses who might have seen your accident. Eyewitnesses can provide important details that could help prove the other party was at fault. Even if you did not speak with a witness after your accident, our Birmingham personal injury lawyers can review accident reports to determine if any witnesses were interviewed and speak with them on your behalf.
Photographic Evidence
Photos of the scene can preserve important details like the time of day, the weather, and physical evidence of the accident. Photos of your injuries near or at the time of the accident can also be incredibly helpful in later litigation. Our lawyers can also take photos of where the scene occurred to give an accurate depiction to the court of where the accident took place. Our Birmingham personal injury lawyers can help you gather the evidence you need to prove you’re the elements of your case.
Damages Available in a Birmingham, AL Personal Injury Lawsuit
A wide variety of damages can be awarded to a plaintiff in a successful Birmingham personal injury lawsuit. Economic, non-economic, and punitive damages are the three categories of compensation that could be recovered in a lawsuit. These damages are intended to compensate for other losses that the victim of a personal injury suffered. Fortunately, there are no caps on the amount of economic and non-economic damages a person could recover in a personal injury lawsuit.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are intended to compensate for the out-of-pocket expenses a personal injury victim has incurred. This includes past and future medical costs, lost wages, and repair or replacement costs for property damage. For this reason, economic damages are easier to calculate than non-economic damages.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are more difficult to calculate because these damages are based on the subjective experience of the victim. A person will usually need to testify to the impact of the accident and injuries on their life. This would include the physical pain of their injuries, the emotional stress of living with their injuries, and the loss in the enjoyment of life due to the adaptations they have had to make. Damages can also be awarded for the loss of companionship married couples experience because of a loved one’s injuries.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are a special kind of damages awarded in only rare cases. They are intended to punish defendants for their egregious conduct in causing an accident. While punitive damages are awarded to the plaintiff, they are not considered compensatory. However, Alabama caps punitive damages at three times the economic and non-economic damages awarded to a victim, with a hard cap of $1,500,000. Our Birmingham personal injury lawyers can review your case to help determine what types of compensation might be available to you.
Time Limit to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Birmingham, AL
The time limit to file a personal injury lawsuit in Birmingham is known as the statute of limitations. According to Al. Code § 6-2-38, victims of a personal injury will have two years from the day they received their injuries to file a lawsuit.
There are exceptions to the two-year deadline, however. If the victim of a personal injury is a minor at the time of the accident, they will have two years from their 19th birthday to file a claim. Also, if a person discovers their injuries much later after an accident, they typically have six months from the date they discovered their injury to initiate litigation.
Our Birmingham, AL Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help
If you have suffered a personal injury, our Birmingham personal injury lawyers at Howe Law can provide you with a free case consultation today. Call us at (844) 876-4357.