Serious Injury Attorney in Alabama

Serious and catastrophic injuries are devastating and life-altering for victims and their families. These injuries require extensive medical treatment that may last months, years, or even a lifetime. The physical pain and emotional trauma of adjusting to life after the injury can weigh heavily on not only the victim, but everyone else involved as well. And the impact of a serious injury is often felt for years or decades into the future. When this type of injury happens because of the negligence or reckless actions of another party, those responsible must be held fully accountable.

At M. Adam Jones and Associates, we have several decades of experience successfully representing victims of catastrophic injuries in Alabama, South Georgia, and the Florida Panhandle. Our lawyers have extensive experience with even the most complex personal injury cases. We routinely go up against well-funded adversaries such as large corporations and their insurance companies, and we have the knowledge, resources, and commitment to ensure that our clients received the skilled and personalized representation they need and deserve.

Common Types of Serious Injuries

There are a number of ways serious and catastrophic injuries occur, some of the most common include:

• Automobile Accidents
• Trucking Accidents
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Slip and Fall Accidents
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents
• Medical Malpractice
• Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
• Workplace Accidents
• Sports-Related Accidents
• Assault

These incidents can result in numerous types of serious injuries, such as:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries: Severe bumps, jolts or blows to the head can result in traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI can range in severity; the most moderate form is commonly known as a concussion and lasts a relatively short period of time. More severe forms can last several months, years, or in the worst cases, permanently. Symptoms may include severe headaches, dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, lack of coordination, memory loss, difficulty with focus or concentration, slurred speech, paralysis, and many others. TBI is not always detected immediately after an injury. Sometimes, it can take a number of hours or days for the symptoms to manifest themselves.
• Burn Injuries: The severity of a burn injury depends largely on the degree of burn. Second and third-degree burns are more severe and extensive, forcing victims to undergo various types of medical procedures and endure nearly indescribable physical and emotional pain and suffering. In addition to serious pain, other symptoms of burn injuries include blisters, swelling, peeling skin, red skin, white or charred skin, and shock.
• Paralysis: Some injuries are so severe that they cause the victim to lose control over muscle function in a certain part (or parts) of the body, a condition commonly known as paralysis. There are varying types and degrees of paralysis; including partial paralysis (where you still have some control over your muscles), total paralysis (complete loss of control), temporary paralysis (where some or all of control over muscles returns), and permanent paralysis (where muscle control never comes back). Paralysis can happen due to a severe brain injury, back, neck or spinal cord injury, or a birth injury such as cerebral palsy.
• Amputations: Serious and catastrophic injuries can necessitate the surgical removal of all or part of a limb or extremity; such as a finger, toe, hand, foot, arm, or leg. Commonly known as an amputation, this procedure is often done after a severe injury such as a burn or explosion in which the affected area has been irreparably damaged, and functionality cannot be restored. Another common reason for amputations is infections due to medication or surgical errors.
• Severe Fractures: Some serious personal injuries result in broken bones/fractures. Some of these injuries can be permanent and debilitating, depending on the age and health of the victim and location of the fracture.
• Wrongful Death: In the most extreme cases, serious injuries can result in an untimely death. This tends to be more common among younger children, the elderly, disabled, and other more vulnerable members of our society. When someone is killed because of the reckless acts or omissions of another party, surviving loved ones may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim.

Damages in Serious Injury Cases

Catastrophic injury victims typically face a long and difficult recovery process. At the very least, multiple medical procedures will likely be required to reach maximum medical improvement (MMI). In many cases, the victim develops a permanent and debilitating medical condition that results in the loss of gainful employment and the need for ongoing medical treatment. In these types of cases, victims are usually eligible for higher compensation than with a regular personal injury case.

Damages for serious and catastrophic injuries can be divided into three general categories:

• Economic Damages: Compensation for damages suffered that are quantifiable. This may include medical bills immediately following the injury, rehabilitation costs, the cost of ongoing medical treatment, loss of earning capacity, and funeral and burial costs (in wrongful death cases).
• Non-Economic Damages: Damages suffered that you cannot put a dollar figure on; such as physical pain and suffering, emotional/psychological distress, diminished quality of life, and loss of consortium.
• Punitive Damages: In rare cases in which the actions of the party responsible for the injury were especially egregious, punitive damages may be awarded to deter the responsible party (and others) from committing similar acts of wrongdoing in the future.

Alabama Contributory Negligence Laws  

Pursuing damages for serious and catastrophic injuries is more challenging in Alabama than in most other states because of the legal doctrine known as “contributory negligence.” Under this doctrine, an injury victim that is found to be even 1% at-fault may be barred from recovering compensation. Most other states use some form of comparative negligence, which allows victims to recover damages even if they share some fault, a standard that is much more favorable to plaintiffs. Because of Alabama’s contributory negligence standard, it is very important that serious injury victims obtain experienced legal representation from someone with a successful track record in these types of cases.

Speak with a Compassionate Alabama Catastrophic Injuries Attorney

If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury, you may be entitled to compensation. If you are in this situation, it is important to act sooner rather than later. Alabama has just a two-year statute of limitations from the date of a personal injury for victims to file a claim for damages. Before too much time passes, get in touch with a seasoned injury attorney so you understand your rights and options.

At M. Adam Jones and Associates, we understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll serious injuries have on victims and their families, and our goal is to make the legal process as smooth and stress-free as possible. We work closely with our clients, taking the time to thoroughly investigate the case and gather extensive documentation and evidence to support the claim. Over the years, we have also formed relationships with several top professionals in the medical field and other industries who we routinely call upon to help support our findings. This puts our clients in the best possible position to obtain a favorable outcome.

We take all personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, so you only pay attorney fees if we win your case.

For a free consultation with one of our attorneys, call our office today at 334-699-5599. Or you may send us a secure and confidential message through our online contact form.