Personal Injury FAQs
A personal injury lawsuit allows you to seek fair compensation when someone else’s careless or reckless behavior or wrongdoing causes harm. While many of these cases are resolved via out-of-court settlements, going to trial might be necessary if the at-fault party’s insurance company refuses to offer you the compensation you need to cover your losses.
At Gartlan Injury Law, we understand that filing a lawsuit might feel overwhelming, especially when dealing with injuries, medical bills, and time away from work. Our experienced legal team will handle every aspect of your case, from gathering evidence to negotiating with insurance companies so that you can focus on your recovery.
Our Dothan law firm handles a wide range of personal injury claims, including:
- Motor vehicle accidents From car accidents and motorcycle collisions to commercial truck wrecks that leave families devastated.
- Workplace injuries Including construction accidents, equipment failures, and unsafe working conditions that put honest, hardworking people at risk.
- Premises liability When property owners fail to maintain safe conditions or warn visitors about known hazards.
- Defective products Manufacturing defects, design flaws, and inadequate warnings that lead to serious injuries.
- Animal attacks Including dog bites and other incidents where pet owners fail to control their animals.
- Medical negligence When healthcare providers fail to deliver appropriate care and cause serious harm.
At Gartlan Injury Law, we have helped clients recover compensation for many types of serious injuries in personal injury cases, including the following:
- Traumatic brain injuries From mild concussions to severe trauma, a TBI can affect cognitive function and daily life.
- Spinal cord injuries SCIs can include partial or complete paralysis that requires lifelong care.
- Broken bones Multiple fractures may require surgery and extensive rehabilitation.
- Soft tissue injuries Muscle, tendon, and ligament damage can cause chronic pain and severely limit the victim’s mobility.
- Burns Severe burns can lead to scarring, disfigurement, and emotional trauma.
- Internal injuries Organ damage may not show immediate symptoms but can be life-threatening.
When you work with our firm in your personal injury case, we take the time to understand how your injuries affect your daily life, your ability to work, and your family’s future. This thorough approach helps us pursue the full and fair compensation you deserve.
Our legal team will work to establish all essential elements of your personal injury case. You must show that someone’s careless actions led directly to your injuries. At Gartlan Injury Law, we thoroughly investigate every case, gathering evidence such as:
- Medical records Documentation of your injuries and medical expenses can demonstrate the link between your injuries and the accident.
- Witness statements Testimony from people who saw what happened.
- Expert analysis Opinions from accident reconstruction professionals, medical professionals, and others with technical knowledge.
- Physical evidence Photos, videos, and other documentation from the accident scene.
To pursue full compensation for you, Gartlan Injury Law will evaluate every aspect of how your injuries have affected your life, including the following:
- Medical expenses All costs for emergency care, hospital stays, surgeries, medications, rehabilitation, and future medical needs.
- Lost income Compensation for missed work, reduced earning capacity, and career limitations.
- Physical pain The physical distress and discomfort you have experienced due to your injuries.
- Emotional suffering Mental anguish, anxiety, depression, and loss of enjoyment of life.
- Property loss Repair or replacement costs for damaged property.
- Future costs Long-term expenses for home or vehicle modifications, ongoing care, and other types of support.
In most personal injury cases, you can file claims against private individuals and companies. However, Alabama law gives special protections to the following:
- Government entities Claims against cities, counties, or the state must follow specific procedures and strict deadlines.
- Employers in workers’ compensation cases Most workplace injuries fall under the workers’ compensation system, which limits your ability to sue your employer directly.
- Charitable organizations Some nonprofits have partial immunity from certain types of lawsuits.
- Emergency responders Police, firefighters, and other first responders may have limited liability while performing their duties.
Our experienced legal team at Gartlan Injury Law understands these complex rules and exceptions. We will identify all potentially responsible parties and pursue every available avenue for compensation for you. When large corporations or insurance companies try to hide behind legal technicalities, we will fight back with aggressive advocacy and detailed knowledge of Alabama law.
Many insurance companies rush to make a quick settlement offer before a person understands the full extent of their injuries. They may pressure you into believing it will be your only chance of recovering compensation. However, you have every right to politely refuse the initial offer while you take the time to assess the full value of your losses.
At Gartlan Injury Law, we strongly advise our clients not to accept any offers without consulting our legal team. Early settlement offers often fail to account for the following:
- Future medical treatments you may need
- Long-term rehabilitation costs
- Ongoing pain and suffering
- Additional lost wages
- Permanent disabilities or limitations
At Gartlan Injury Law, we will use our experience and the assistance of medical and financial professionals to help you determine the actual value of your losses and navigate the personal injury claim process. An experienced personal injury lawyer will not allow you to settle for less than you deserve.
Alabama law sets strict deadlines for filing personal injury lawsuits. In most personal injury cases, you must file a claim within two years from the injury date. However, several factors can affect this timeline:
- Claims against government entities may have shorter deadlines.
- Cases involving minors may have extended timeframes.
- The discovery of injuries that were not immediately apparent may alter the filing deadline.
As time passes, evidence can disappear, witnesses’ memories fade, and critical documentation might become more challenging to obtain. At Gartlan Injury Law, we will immediately begin investigating your case and protecting your rights when someone else’s negligence has harmed you.
