Auburn Personal Injury Lawyers

Even in the loveliest village on the plains, accidents can and do happen from time to time. If and when it happens, you have the right to hold the negligent party accountable and recover damages from them.

Auburn is truly an educated town. Of course, we have the University here, but also 24% of residents make over $100k per year. Those are people who work in education, healthcare, and other professional industries.

However, that’s not to say that everyone in Auburn is financially secure. In fact 40% of residents earn less than $40k per year. Many of those are students, but also working-class people. For most Auburn residents if something goes wrong, they don’t have the money to cover all their bills. Especially if they get injured and are unable to work.

The personal injury attorneys at the law office of Frank M. Wilson are committed to providing comprehensive, personalized legal representation to the residents of Auburn, AL. Over the years, we have represented clients with catastrophic injuries and life-altering disabilities and have recovered millions in damages. Thanks to our unmatched legal knowledge and extensive trial experience, no case is too complicated for us to take on.

Types of Personal Injury Cases We Can Handle in Auburn, AL

• Car accidents
• Rideshare accidents
• Truck accidents
• Bus accidents
• Railroad crossing accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Slip and fall accidents
• Accidents caused by defective products
• Dog bites
• Wrongful death

Statute of Limitations for filing an Auburn, AL Personal Injury Claim

The time limit for filing tort claims – commonly referred to as the statute of limitations – is set at two years. The two-year time limit starts from the date of the accident. If you fail to bring a claim against the at-fault party in question within two years, you will lose your right to sue them permanently.

The two-year time limit can be extended under certain circumstances. These include:

• If the injured party happens to be a minor, the deadline for filing the claim will start only after they turn 19.
• If the injured party happens to be mentally incapacitated, the deadline will start only after they are declared sane.
• If the at-fault party leaves town before the injured party could file a claim, their period of absence from the city will not be counted as part of the two-year deadline.

It should be noted that the two-year time limit is only applicable for claims filed against private individuals and businesses. If you need to file a tort claim against a government employee or a unit of government, you need to serve a notice of claim within six months from the date of the accident. Otherwise, you will be permanently barred from recovering any kind of compensation.

Elements to be Proved in an Auburn, AL Personal Injury Claim

When you file a personal injury claim against someone, you are required to prove the following elements.

• The at-fault party owed you a duty of care
• They breached their duty of care
• Their breach of duty resulted in the accident
• You suffered material damages in the accident

Damages You Can Recover in an Auburn, AL Personal Injury Claim

Depending on the nature and extent of the injuries you suffered, you might be able to recover economic as well as non-economic damages. These include:

Economic Damages

• Medical expenses
• Cost of future treatment and medical care
• Cost of long-term care and assisted living (in the event of a permanent and total disability)
• Cost of rehabilitation
• Cost of assistive devices like crutches, walkers, wheelchairs, and prosthetics
• Lost wages
• Loss of earning capacity
• Cost of repairing and replacing the items damaged in the accident

Non-Economic Damages

• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Significant disfigurement
• Permanent or total disability
• Diminished quality of life

Punitive Damages

In rare cases, you might also be awarded punitive or exemplary damages – in addition to compensatory damages. These damages can be awarded only in cases where the at-fault party in question is found to have acted deliberately with malicious intent. The maximum amount of punitive damages that can be awarded – regardless of the severity of your injuries – is $1.5 million.

Damages for Claims against a Government Agency

Under Alabama law, the maximum amount of compensation you can recover from an agent or unit of the government is set at $100,000.

How Alabama’s Contributory Negligence Law Can Affect Your Chances of Recovering Damages

Alabama is among the handful of states that still follow the doctrine of contributory negligence, under which an injured party does not have the right to recover damages from the at-fault party – if they are found to have contributed to the accident even by a small extent. In other words, the other party could be at 99% fault for the accident, and you still might not be able to recover damages, as you are at 1% at fault.

This is the primary reason why you need to have a capable personal injury lawyer on your side. In the absence of effective legal representation, the other side can easily blame you for the accident and walk away without paying you a dime.

Get an Experienced Auburn, AL Personal Injury Lawyer on Your Side

Attorney Frank M. Wilson has been fighting for the rights of injury victims in Auburn as well as other parts of Alabama for over 30 years. An experienced civil litigator, Frank has handled a wide range of personal injury claims – from slip and fall claims to commercial truck accident claims – and has obtained some of the largest settlements and jury awards in the country.

Apart from local courts, he is also licensed to practice in District of Columbia courts, the 5^th and 11^th United States Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.

Frank’s accomplishments and his professional contributions have earned him the prestigious AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

If you have been injured or if you have lost someone in your family due to someone’s negligence, attorney Frank M. Wilson and his legal team can help you. Call us today at 334-420-2931 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation with a member of our legal team.