Recover All Damages From a Serious Accident

Motor vehicle accidents are very common in the State of Alabama. After an accident, many people assume that their only option is to sue the at-fault driver for damages. Fortunately, car accident laws in Alabama allow for a variety of legitimate claims to be made so that the victim in the accident can recover the full measure of their damages.

To better explain the options available to a victim, let’s consider an example involving a trucking accident: Joe is driving to the courthouse to file a document for his employer, a law office (we may as well throw a lawyer into this story). Almost to the courthouse, Joe is rear-ended by an overloaded tractor trailer and is ejected from his automobile despite having his seat belt fastened. He is transported to the local hospital with serious injuries.

In this example, Joe has several options in order that he may receive compensation for all of his damages. First, Joe obviously has a direct claim against the tractor trailer driver. Additionally, Joe has a claim against the driver’s employer as they allowed the driver to operate a commercial vehicle that was loaded above capacity. Even if they claim not to have known, the driver’s employer is liable for their employee’s actions. Second, if the tractor trailer driver’s liability insurance is expired or insufficient to cover all Joe’s injuries, Joe could make an additional claim for uninsured/under-insured benefits against his own insurance company (Joe’s injury attorney will know to make the appropriate claim – immediately – with Joe’s insurance company … just in case). Third, since Joe was injured in the course and scope of his employment, he has a legitimate worker’s compensation claim. Finally, he could have a product liability claim against the manufacturer of his automobile due to the failure of the seat belt to properly restrain him during the accident, contributing to his personal injuries.

If you or a loved one have sustained serious injury as a result of an accident – contact a personal injury lawyer. We have decades of experience and offer free phone and office consultations for all accident injury related cases in Huntsville, Decatur, Guntersville, and surrounding North Alabama areas. Schedule a free consultation with an attorney today by calling (256) 539-4464 or completing a case evaluation form online.