Were you recently injured in a car accident in Birmingham, AL? Was someone else responsible for the crash? An experienced Birmingham car accident lawyer at Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers can help you maximize your financial recovery. Contact us today at (205) 206-5088.
Our team puts over 80 years of experience to work behind every case. Because of that, injured clients in Birmingham, Alabama, have trusted us for legal representation since we started our law firm.
Recovering full compensation can be incredibly important if you have suffered severe injuries. Contact our law offices to schedule your free consultation with a car accident attorney who can protect your interests.
How Can Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers Help Me After a Car Crash in Birmingham, Alabama?
Do you know why your car accident happened? Do you have evidence to prove who is legally responsible for your damages? What happens if the insurance company is blaming you for the crash? Is the insurance settlement offer fair?
These are critical questions when it comes to recovering full compensation after an accident. They can also be incredibly difficult to answer while you’re focused on recovering from serious injuries.
Hiring our experienced team at Belt, Bruner & Barnett, P.C. can give you a significant edge through the insurance claims process in Birmingham, AL.
Members of our team have been listed among Super Lawyers and the National Trial Lawyers’ “Top 100 Trial Lawyers”. This type of recognition is important, but so are results. Our team delivers in that category. To date, our Birmingham personal injury lawyers have won over $1 million in 93 different cases.
Expect our Birmingham car accident attorneys to fight for you by:
- Identifying all available paths for making a full financial recovery
- Conducting a comprehensive investigation to gain all available evidence
- Locating all parties who share financial responsibility for your damages
- Defending you when the insurance company blames you for the crash
- Working with leading experts while we assess your damages and build your case
It’s never too early to seek experienced legal advice. Call our experienced attorneys today for more information about how we can fight for you.
Why Should I Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Birmingham?
Hiring an experienced car accident lawyer carries many benefits.
Here are just some reasons to hire a car accident lawyer:
- The insurance company has the time and resources to fight your personal injury claim, and an established law firm can even the playing field and force them to stop giving you the runaround
- You lose your right to damages if you’re even 1% liable for the crash–an experienced lawyer will know how to protect you from unfair allegations
- An experienced lawyer knows how to find the strong evidence you’ll need to prove your case
- You’re recovering from an injury and deserve time to rest without worrying about jeopardizing your right to compensation
All of these factors are the most important reasons to hire a lawyer. You’re likely to walk away with significantly more money when you hire a car accident lawyer to help you fight the insurance companies. Your lawyer puts the risk of a trial on the table–and that can be a powerful motivation for insurance companies to play fair.
After an injury, contact a car accident lawyer as soon as possible. Most injury attorneys offer free consultations so you can learn about your legal options without risk.
We Handle All Types of Car Accident Claims in Birmingham
Our team at Belt, Bruner & Barnett, P.C. has the skill and experience to handle any type of car accident claim.
Some of our primary practice areas include:
Speeding Accidents
Speeding is often a contributing factor in car accidents. High speeds make it less likely that a driver will be able to stop in time to prevent a crash. Speeding also tends to worsen the injuries sustained by victims.
If you suspect the other driver was speeding, our team at Belt, Bruner & Barnett, P.C. can help you prove it. You don’t have to rely on the police report alone.
Intersection Accidents
Intersections can be particularly dangerous. When someone fails to yield the right-of-way, the risk of accidents is significant. If you were injured because another driver raced through an intersection or ignored traffic signals, call us today to explore your legal options.
Distracted Driving Accidents
Drivers often cause accidents because they’re distracted. In 2022 alone, 67 traffic fatalities in Alabama were associated with distracted drivers. While it’s a common occurrence, it can be incredibly difficult to prove. Our lawyers know how to locate evidence to establish liability in these cases. Just call our team today for a free case review.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end car accidents are extremely common. They typically happen when someone is speeding or isn’t paying attention, so they can’t stop in time. However, it’s a common misperception that the driver in the rear is automatically to blame. If you were hurt in a rear-end crash, we’re here to help you determine the cause.
Hit-and-Run Accidents
While it’s illegal to leave the scene of an accident in Alabama, hit-and-run crashes do happen. These car accident claims are particularly challenging because you don’t even know who to hold responsible.
Our lawyers have the tools to conduct an investigation and attempt to locate the responsible driver. We can also evaluate the situation and identify any additional sources of compensation.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to our attorneys in Birmingham anytime you’ve been injured in a car accident, including those involving:
- Vehicle rollovers
- Sideswipe accidents
- Head-on crashes
- T-bone accidents
- U-turn accidents
- Multiple vehicle crashes and pile-ups
- Single-vehicle accidents
- Highway accidents
- Trucking accidents involving semi-trucks and 18-wheelers
- Rideshare accidents
- Drunk driving accidents
- Accidents caused by uninsured or underinsured motorists
- Motorcycle accidents
- Accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists
No two car accidents are exactly the same. However, each type of car accident comes with its own set of challenges. You deserve to expect that your attorney is familiar with those complications.
Common Types of Car Accident Injuries
The types of injuries you suffer will depend on the unique circumstances of the car crash. Some victims are lucky enough to walk away with injuries that will heal fairly quickly. Others are left to struggle with life-changing and catastrophic injuries.
Our lawyers are prepared to help regardless of the nature of your injuries, and we regularly handle cases involving:
- Facial injuries
- Broken bones
- Nerve injuries
- Whiplash
- Soft tissue damage, including damage to muscles, ligaments and tendons
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Compression injuries
- Severe lacerations
- Concussions
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Chest injuries
- Burns and road rash
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Our Birmingham car accident attorneys at Belt, Bruner & Barnett, P.C. are here to help in any way we can. If you’re seriously injured, we can arrange a hospital or home visit if you can’t make it to the office. All you have to do is call us today to schedule your free case review.
How Much Compensation Can I Recover By Filing a Car Accident Claim?
Every personal injury case value is determined by evaluating the unique circumstances of the accident, injury, and victim.
Issues that a lawyer considers when calculating a client’s case value include:
- How severe the injuries were
- How much the victim has spent on medical care, vehicle repairs, rehab, etc.
- Whether the injury is expected to have a long-term or permanent impact
- How the victim’s earnings were impacted during recovery
- How the injury impacted the victim’s future earnings, career prospects and opportunities
- Intangible losses, including pain, suffering, trauma, and damage to quality of life
- Any legitimate evidence that can prove the victim was partly responsible
If you’re like most people, your experience dealing with accident-related injury claims is limited. The insurance company expects that. On the other hand, insurance companies deal with car accident injuries every day. They know exactly how much your case is worth.
An experienced attorney will also have the tools to accurately assess your case value and prevent you from taking a lowball deal.
What Types of Damages Can I Recover in a Successful Car Accident Lawsuit?
Car wrecks can cause significant financial and personal losses. Under Alabama law, you can pursue compensation for all of these economic and non-economic damages. In rare cases, punitive damages may be an option.
Economic damages: You can recover damages for any type of financial loss you have suffered due to the accident and injury.
Common financial losses include:
- Current medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning potential
- Follow-up care, medications, and medical devices
- Nursing care
- In-home assistance
- Rehabilitation
- Home and vehicle modifications
- Property damage
Non-economic damages: are much more difficult. These personal losses won’t have a price tag. In serious injury cases, there’s really no amount of money that can make up for these losses.
Some examples include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental trauma and suffering
- Emotional distress and fear
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Reduced life expectancy
- Diminished quality of life
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium in wrongful death cases
Punitive Damages: All car accident victims can seek compensation for economic and non-economic damages. Punitive damages are much more rare.
Courts will only award punitive damages if there is significant evidence to show the defendant’s acts were intentional or extremely reckless. That’s because punitive damages don’t compensate for a specific loss but only serve to punish the defendant and deter future behaviors.
What Happens If I’m Partly At-Fault in a Car Accident in Birmingham?
Alabama is one of just a handful of states that follows a contributory negligence law. The results are sometimes harsh. You lose your right to compensation entirely if the defendant can prove that you were even slightly responsible for your injuries. This law applies even if you were seriously injured and even if someone else was mostly responsible.
Fighting against allegations that you caused the crash is critical to recovering financial compensation. While it may seem unfair, you’ll likely need evidence to disprove the insurance company’s allegations. Otherwise, court intervention may be necessary.
You deserve a car accident attorney on your side to stop unfair accusations in their tracks. Our team has decades of experience doing just that. If someone is blaming you for getting hurt, don’t hesitate to reach out for legal assistance today.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Birmingham?
After a car crash, there are a few key steps you can take to protect yourself. Getting prompt medical attention should be your number one priority. If it’s an emergency, the 911 operator can send an ambulance to take you to the hospital.
When it’s not an emergency situation, here’s what you can do to strengthen your case and make life easier:
- Call 911 immediately and remain at the scene. Leaving the scene of a crash is a crime in Alabama. The officer will also prepare a police report with important details about the accident.
- Exchange contact details with the other driver and any eyewitnesses.
- Gather evidence, including the other driver’s insurance details. Take photos and videos of the accident scene, vehicle damage, and any obvious injuries.
- Do not admit fault. Any admission of fault can be used to prevent you from seeking compensation at a later date. Even if it seems natural to apologize, these statements can only hurt you when you go to file a claim for compensation.
- Don’t sign any insurance documents. Insurance adjusters sometimes visit accident victims in the hospital or at their home after the accident. Avoid signing any documents without a lawyer’s help because they may limit your financial recovery in the future.
- Contact an attorney. As soon as you can, call Belt, Bruner & Barnett, P.C. for legal advice. We can take immediate steps to protect your right to compensation, especially if you were seriously injured.
Even if you don’t need emergency care, see a doctor before you do anything else. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that the at-fault driver will claim that something else happened to cause your injuries. You could also be suffering from serious injuries that aren’t immediately obvious.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Car Accidents in Birmingham, Alabama?
Car accidents happen every day in Alabama. When you’re the victim, understanding why the accident happened is crucial to making a financial recovery.
While car wrecks can happen for many different reasons, some of the most commonly reported factors include:
- Failure to yield the right-of-way to other vehicles, pedestrians or bicyclists
- Improper lane changes or improper lane usage
- Misjudging stopping distances
- Tailgating
- Speeding
- Fatigued drivers
- Aggressive driving
- Distracted driving
- Not passing the inspection laws
- Texting while driving and cell phone use
- Drunk driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs
- Unsafe passing
- Illegal or unsafe turns
- Ignoring red lights, stop signs, and other traffic signals
- Drunk driving
- Road hazards
- Poorly marked construction zones or curves
It’s always possible that more than one factor could have played a role in causing an accident. While the presence of multiple defendants can make things more complex, there is no reason to back down. An experienced attorney at Belt, Bruner & Barnett, P.C. can help you navigate the legal process, stop the finger-pointing, and hold the at-fault parties liable.
Car Accident Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a Car Accident in Alabama?
In Alabama, the statute of limitations in most personal injury cases is two years. Starting from the date of your accident, you have two years to file a lawsuit for damages. After the statute of limitations expires, you can’t sue for damages or recover compensation from the responsible party.
While most car accident cases do settle out of court, protecting your right to file a lawsuit is important. The threat of a lawsuit gives you important leverage during insurance negotiations. In reality, it’s very unlikely that the insurance company will pay your claim if you let the legal deadline pass.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire an Alabama Car Accident Lawyer?
Like most personal injury law firms in Alabama, our lawyers charge contingency fees. The amount of attorneys’ fees you pay depends entirely on the amount of compensation we win for you. That way, you can hire an experienced lawyer without worrying about paying legal fees immediately.
Who Can Be Held Liable for My Car Accident Injuries?
The identity of the responsible party will depend on how your accident happened. In the simplest case, the negligent driver who caused the crash will be held liable. However, not all cases are cut-and-dry.
Examples of the parties who could be liable for a car crash include:
- The employer of a negligent driver who was working when the crash happened
- Trucking companies, when a truck driver causes a wreck
- Manufacturers of defective vehicles or safety equipment
- Government transit agencies and authorities
- Construction companies
- Negligent passengers
- Pedestrians or bicyclists
Once our lawyers understand why your accident happened, we’ll be able to identify the parties who can be held legally liable for your damages.
Most of the time, proving liability means establishing negligence. Negligence means that someone failed to exercise due caution under the circumstances.
Legally speaking, you must establish:
- A duty of care existed
- The at-fault party breached that duty
- Causation, meaning that the breach caused the accident
- Damages you suffered as a result
When your right to compensation is being challenged, you’ll need the strongest evidence possible to prove your case. Our lawyers have helped countless car accident victims prove negligence claims. We’re more than ready to go to work for you.
Statistics on Car Accidents in Alabama
According to data statistics published by the Alabama Department of Transportation, 144,263 car accidents were reported across the state of Alabama in 2022. Those auto accidents caused 37,935 injuries and 986 fatalities.
That means someone was injured in a motor vehicle accident every 13 minutes and 51 seconds. A person was killed every nine hours in Alabama.
About 72% of the traffic accidents reported during 2022 occurred in urban areas like Birmingham.
Contact a Birmingham Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Initial Consultation Today
If you or a family member were injured in a car accident, an experienced Birmingham car accident lawyer can help. Our team at Belt, Bruner & Barnett, P.C. has decades of experience advocating on behalf of injury victims like you. To learn more about how you can benefit from our skills, contact us for a free consultation right away.
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