Home › Personal Injury Laws by State › Alabama Personal Injury Laws

Alabama generally requires most personal injury lawsuits based on negligence to be filed within two years after the claim accrues. Different rules, accrual questions, exceptions, tolling provisions, and notice requirements may apply depending on the claim and the parties involved, including claims against governmental entities. This page cannot determine which deadline applies to any particular situation; only a licensed Alabama attorney reviewing the facts can do that.

Alabama generally follows an at-fault system for motor-vehicle injury claims. Liability ordinarily depends on who caused the collision. The compensation available in any particular matter generally depends on the injuries or losses involved and the insurance coverage that applies. How these rules apply in any individual situation depends on its facts, and if the parties involved cannot agree on liability, the court process may be necessary to resolve it.

Alabama follows a contributory-negligence rule, which differs from the comparative-fault systems used in most states. In general terms, a person found to have contributed to their own injury through their own negligence may be barred from recovering compensation in a negligence claim, even if another party bears greater fault. Alabama law also recognizes doctrines and exceptions that can affect how this rule applies. Whether and how fault is attributed in any particular matter depends on its facts and may have to be determined by a court of law.

Alabama generally requires vehicle owners to maintain liability insurance that meets minimum requirements established by state law. Insurers also generally provide uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage unless the policyholder rejects that coverage in writing. The coverage available in any particular situation depends on the policies involved and current law.

Alabama law limits certain categories of damages in some kinds of civil cases. The existence and application of a limit can depend on the type of claim, the parties involved, when it arose or was filed, and other statutory rules. Because these provisions and amounts may change, this page does not state a dollar figure or determine whether any limit applies to a particular matter.

Alabama personal injury lawsuits may be filed in the state's circuit courts, which have general civil jurisdiction, or in district court for some more limited civil matters. Many injury claims are resolved through insurance processes or negotiation without a lawsuit being filed. Which court, if any, would be appropriate depends on the nature of the claim, the relief involved, and other facts that a licensed Alabama attorney can evaluate.

A licensed Alabama attorney can explain how rules involving deadlines, fault, insurance, damages, and procedure may apply to a specific situation—something a general reference page cannot do. This platform helps injured people seek connections with participating local personal injury attorney offices in the Alabama communities listed below, based on availability. Requesting a connection is free and carries no obligation to hire an attorney.