Athens Personal Injury Attorneys, Alabama

Protecting Alabama victims and families

Our system of civil justice in the United States offers a legal remedy for those who have been injured because of someone else’s negligence. Whether the injury occurred in a vehicle crash, on an unsafe property, or from using a defective product, you may have grounds to take legal action against the party responsible for causing your injury. At Martin & Helms, we represent those who have been hurt and want to pursue a claim against the party who caused their injury. You are welcome to a free consultation to come and discuss your case with our knowledgeable Athens injury attorneys.

Common claims our Athens injury attorneys handle

Life can be completely unpredictable. You try to be careful. You wear a seat belt, look both ways before crossing a street, and you always wear a helmet when riding your bike. But we live in an unpredictable world where an accident can happen at any moment. When that accident was caused by someone else’s negligence and you are hurt, we can help. We routinely represent clients in claims involving:

  • Car accidents. Car accidents are a leading cause of serious injury. Negligent and reckless drivers injure people every day by driving drunk, distracted, or fatigued.
  • Truck accidents. Improper lane changes, speeding, drunk driving, defective equipment: these are some of the leading causes of truck accidents in Alabama. We handle complex litigation involving commercial vehicles of all sizes.
  • Motorcycle accidents. Injuries in motorcycle crashes tend to be serious, and sometimes deadly, because the rider is completely unprotected.
  • Fires and explosions. Fires and explosions are rare, but they can lead to devastating and life-altering burn injuries, chemical exposure, and smoke inhalation. We are here to fight for justice for you.
  • Defective product injuries. When the products you buy, or the devices you need, are defective and cause serious injury or death, we are here to represent you. These claims can be complex, and we have the resources and skills to handle them.
  • Construction accidents. Working in the construction industry is dangerous work with hazards at every turn. When the cause of your construction accident is the negligence of another person, we fight for the compensation you deserve.
  • Workers’ compensation. If you are facing a dispute with your employer’s workers’ compensation insurer, or if your claim for benefits has been denied, we will represent you in recovering the benefits you deserve.
  • Premises liability injuries. After suffering a serious injury on someone else’s property, we can help you pursue justice in the form of compensation for your injuries.
  • Wrongful death. When you are dealing with the death of a loved one because of the negligence or wrongful acts of another, we will be your advocate in recovering damages for your loss.

Examples of common accident injuries

The following are just a few of the various types of injuries that could occur in a traffic crash, a workplace injury or other accident or incident:

  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Head and neck injury
  • Back injuries
  • Broken bones
  • Cuts and lacerations
  • Burn injury
  • Amputations
  • Damage to internal organs

How does a personal injury claim work?

There are four elements that a plaintiff (the injured person) in an Alabama personal injury claim must be able to prove. This is how it works in the case of a dangerous drug claim:

  • The defendant had a duty of care. An example of this might be that a drug manufacturer has a duty of care to make medicines that are safe, effective and that they do what they promise to do.
  • The defendant breached that duty of care. In this case, the drug manufacturer might have failed to disclose the results of a clinical trial that revealed dangerous, adverse effects from their medications.
  • The plaintiff suffered an injury because of the defendant's breach resulted from negligence. The plaintiff might have suffered a potentially deadly cardiac arrest after having taken the drug as directed.
  • There is direct line of causation between the defendant's negligence and the plaintiff’s injuries. The plaintiff would provide evidence that proves how the drug ruined their health and caused the cardiac event.

The role of contributory negligence

Alabama’s contributory negligence law says that if the plaintiff can be shown to be partially at fault in causing his or her injury, he or she may be barred from recovering compensation, regardless of what the defendant did. This sounds incredible, but it is true. Alabama is one of only three states, plus the District of Columbia, which has this seemingly unfair principle in their laws. Unfortunately, this allows the insurance companies to argue that if you are even a small percentage at fault that you should not be entitled to damages for your losses.

Even when you prove that the defendant was negligent and caused you harm, the defendant can still use the affirmative defense of contributory negligence. To continue our example, the defendant might bring up the fact that the plaintiff was a smoker, so their smoking also could have caused the cardiac arrest.

Your Athens personal injury attorney from Martin & Helms is fully equipped to take on the challenge of contributory negligence. We are dedicated to fighting hard for the best possible outcome for our clients.

Different types of damages in personal injury claims

In a personal injury claim, justice comes in the form of financial compensation with the intention of making you “whole” after the accident. While the money may not restore your health, or bring back a deceased loved one, it can help you achieve financial security, so you can recover with less stress. You can make a claim for:

  • Medical expenses
  • Wage losses
  • Emotional distress
  • Pain and suffering
  • Disability/diminished earning capacity
  • Loss of consortium
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Punitive damages where appropriate
  • Other losses

When you or a loved one has sustained an injury because of the reckless or negligent actions of another, you are welcome to contact the experienced Athens personal injury lawyers at Martin & Helms where we are dedicated to making the process of pursuing compensation as easy as possible for our clients.

How long do I have to file a personal injury claim?

Generally speaking, you have two years from the date you were injured to file a personal injury lawsuit. After this time period has passed, you could be barred from recovering any damage at all, so it is important that you contact an attorney quickly.

Local resources

Athens Municipal Court
951 E Hobbs Street
Phone: 256-233-8733

Limestone County Courthouse
200 West Washington Street
39th Judicial Circuit
Phone: 256-233-6419

Athens Police Department
951 E Hobbs Street
Phone: 256-233-8700
Emergency: 911

Athens Fire & Rescue Administrative Offices
950 W Washington Street
Phone: 256-233-8710
Fire Prevention: 256-233-8723
Emergency: 911

Is your personal injury lawyer near me?

Martin & Helms is located in Athens, in Limestone County, but we serve all across the state of Alabama. Rest assured, however, that if you are critically injured and unable to come to Athens, we will travel to visit you in the hospital or rehabilitation center. We also offer virtual conferences and telephone consultations.

Schedule a free consultation with our experienced Athens personal injury lawyers today

After any kind of injury caused by someone else’s negligence, the trusted Athens personal injury lawyers at Martin & Helms are here to protect your right to recover compensation. You are welcome to call us at 256-539-1990 or complete our contact form to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. We also serve seriously injured clients in Decatur, Huntsville, Madison and throughout the state.