Huntsville Personal Injury Lawyers
Protecting the rights of those injured because of negligence throughout Alabama
Personal injury law is an area of law that protects individuals if they become injured because of someone else's actions or failure to act, which can be considered negligence. The injured person (the plaintiff) pursues the person who caused the harm (the defendant) to recover monetary damages to compensate for his or her losses. There are many different types of injury cases such as a car or truck accident, a construction accident claim, or a defective product claim. What we do is determine who can be held liable for your injuries and pursue damages from them to compensate you for your losses.
At Martin & Helms, we are dedicated to making the process of filing a personal injury claim less stressful for our clients. We offer a free consultation to allow you to discuss your case with an experienced Huntsville personal injury attorney. You will never pay attorney fees until we have recovered compensation for you.
What are the most common causes of personal injury accidents?
The National Safety Council (NSC) compiles a list of the top 10 preventable (non-fatal) injuries in a recent year in the United States which includes:
| 31% 14% 10% 9% 7% |
| 7% 6% 4% 3% 2% |
Other causes not in top 10 8%
So, you see there are almost countless ways a person could become injured. However, we are concerned with injuries that were caused by someone else’s negligence, such as the topics listed below:
|
|
If you have been involved in any type of accident such as these or others, you may have to call first responders to help. Here is the contact information for local Huntsville police and fire:
Huntsville Police Department
815 Wheeler Ave NW
Huntsville, AL 35801
Non-Emergencies
(256) 722-7100
Huntsville Fire Department
2110 Clinton Ave,
Huntsville, Alabama, 35805
(256) 427-7401
What are examples of common personal injuries from accidents?
People who are involved in accidents resulting from other people’s negligence sustain many different types of injuries depending on the nature of the accident. The following are just a few examples of common injuries suffered in accidents:
|
|
The importance of healthcare in your personal injury claim
After an injury in an accident, depending on where it took place, you may be treated by paramedics at the scene and released, or you may be taken to a hospital for treatment. The severity of your injuries, and your medical records are an important factor in your personal injury claim, or lawsuit. It is vitally important that you follow your doctor’s prescribed course of treatment and show up for any follow up appointments.
Choosing the right hospital is an important step in getting good health care. The Journal of Patient Safety reports that more than 400,000 people die each year because of preventable medical errors in healthcare. The Hospital Safety Grade offers critical safety information to prospective patients which is updated twice each year.
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is produced by nonprofit patient safety advocate Leapfrog Group. Their hospital ratings are focused exclusively on hospital safety, and its A, B, C, D or F grades quickly help consumers to choose safe hospitals.
The following are examples of the Hospital Safety Grades for Huntsville Alabama area hospitals form the results of the Spring 2024 surveys:
Crestwood Medical Center
One Hospital Drive
Huntsville, AL 35801
Grade: C
Decatur Morgan Hospital
1201 7th Street SE
Decatur, AL 35601-3303
Grade: B
Athens-Limestone Hospital
700 W. Market Street
Athens, AL 35611-2457
Grade: D
Huntsville Hospital
101 Sivley Road
Huntsville, AL 35801-4470
Grade: D
What is a personal injury claim?
According to the American Bar Association (ABA), there are just two issues to be resolved in a personal injury claim – liability and damages. Was the defendant liable for the damages you sustained, and, if so, what is the nature and extent of your damages? If you are successful at proving liability and damages, our civil justice system will award you with compensation for the losses you suffered.
First, there is the distinction between a personal injury claim, which involves negotiating with the insurance company for the defendant to come to a settlement upon which both parties agree. Most personal injury cases are settled either before a lawsuit is filed, or before a lawsuit goes to trial.
When a person is injured and he or she files a claim against the defendant's insurance company, the insurance company investigates the incident as will your personal injury lawyer. Your attorney gathers evidence to prove that the defendant caused your injury, and the insurance company's claims adjuster is likely looking for ways to defend against the insured’s involvement in the incident. Your Huntsville personal injury lawyer and the defendant's insurance company will negotiate your claim. If they can come to a mutually-acceptable agreement, the claim will be settled, you will receive a check, and your lawyers will receive their fee as a percentage of the total settlement amount.
A personal injury lawsuit is often the result of a failed claim where the parties were unable to come to an agreement.
If the negotiations are proving to be fruitless, and if your injuries are serious enough to warrant a trial, your lawyer might choose to file a lawsuit which can be lengthy and costly. There is also the option of mediation after settlement negotiations stall.
After the pre-trial and discovery stage, which can take several months, the trial will take place and the case will be decided by a jury.
Litigating a personal injury case takes a lot of time and resources. Your Huntsville personal injury lawyer will advise you as to the best course of action given the facts of your case.
Local courts
The following is the contact information for the local courts in Huntsville, Alabama:
Huntsville Municipal Court
815 Wheeler Avenue, NW
Madison County Courthouse
100 North Side Square
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
101 Holmes Avenue
What damages can I recover in a personal injury claim?
If your claim was successful, or if the jury ruled in your favor and awarded damages, depending on the facts of your case you could recover the following types of damages in your personal injury case:
- Medical costs including hospitalization, doctor visits, physical therapy, etc. for the injury
- Lost wages for time missed at work because of the injury
- Emotional distress from the trauma of the incident
- Pain and suffering
- Disability/diminished earning capacity
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Punitive damages where appropriate
- Other losses
If you or someone you care about has been injured in an accident because of someone else’s negligence, at Martin & Helms we want to be your law firm. Contact us to tell us about your case and we will tell you how we can help.
Is your personal injury lawyer near me?
Martin & Helms is located in Huntsville, Madison County, but we serve injured clients all across the state of Alabama. Rest assured, however, that if you are critically injured and unable to come to Huntsville, we will travel to visit you in the hospital or rehabilitation center. We also offer virtual conferences and telephone consultations.
Work with our experienced Huntsville personal injury lawyers today
When you have suffered a serious injury because of someone else’s negligence, the trusted Huntsville personal injury lawyers at Martin & Helms are ready to fight for justice for you. We are just 4 mins drive away from the Huntsville Madison County Veterans Memorial, you are welcome to call us at 256-361-1140 or complete our contact form to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. We also serve injured clients in Decatur, Athens and Madison, and throughout Alabama.
Huntsville Office
2317 Market Place SW
Suite A
Huntsville, AL 35801
Related Articles
- Understanding Amputations and Phantom Pain
- When Can a Worker File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
- If I Don't Go To Trial, Do I Really Need a Lawyer?
- Seeking Damages For Scarring and Disfigurement in an Injury Lawsuit
- Survey Reveals the Threat of Social Media to Children
- Alabama's Civil Legal Aid Organizations Do Great Work For the Community
- The Ever-Growing Issue With Freestanding Emergency Departments
- Injured in an Accident? What You Should Know About Future Care Expenses
- What are the Statutes of Limitations in Alabama Injury Claims?
- Excessive Use of Tylenol and OTC Painkillers is Causing Severe Health Problems
- All About Accidents and Soft Tissue Injuries
- The Effect of Spoliation: Why You Should Never Destroy Evidence
- Alabama Bill, HB 11, Will Make Hospitals Take Your Health Insurance after a Crash
- Yes, Your Social Media Accounts CAN Cost You Your Lawsuit
- Drones Being Used More Frequently in Accident Reconstruction
- What You Should Know Before Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit
- What Can I Do If I'm Bitten By a Service Dog?
Areas of Focus