Injury cases we handle
Travis Johns Law Firm represents injured people across Saraland, Mobile, and the surrounding counties in claims including:
- Car and motorcycle wrecks: including crashes on I-65, US-43, Highway 158, and Saraland Boulevard
- Commercial truck and 18-wheeler accidents: with the port and interstate traffic that runs through Mobile County, trucking cases are common and are litigated differently than ordinary wrecks
- Premises liability: falls and injuries caused by dangerous conditions on business or rental property
- Injuries to children: including claims involving unsafe housing conditions
- Wrongful death: Alabama's wrongful death statute is unlike any other state's, and these cases demand counsel who understands it
The Alabama rule that can end your case: contributory negligence
Most states reduce your recovery by your percentage of fault. Alabama does not. Alabama is one of the last jurisdictions in the country that follows pure contributory negligence. If the defense convinces a jury you were even slightly at fault in causing the accident, you can be barred from recovering anything at all.
Insurance adjusters know this rule and build their file around it from the first phone call. An innocent-sounding recorded statement ("I might have been going a little over the limit" or "I didn't see him until the last second") can become the centerpiece of a contributory negligence defense. This is the single biggest reason injured people in Alabama should speak with a lawyer before speaking with the other side's insurer.
Before you give a recorded statement, call for a free consultation. Once it's on tape, it can't be taken back, and in a contributory negligence state, one sentence can decide the case.
Deadlines: Alabama's two-year statute of limitations
In most personal injury cases, Alabama law gives you two years from the date of the injury to file suit. Miss it, and the claim is gone regardless of how strong it was. There are narrow exceptions (for example, the clock generally doesn't run against a minor child the same way it runs against an adult), but the practical deadline is always sooner than the legal one. Witnesses move and camera footage gets overwritten. The earlier the investigation starts, the stronger the case.
What your claim may cover
Depending on the facts, an Alabama injury claim can include medical bills (past and future), lost wages and lost earning capacity, physical pain and mental anguish, permanent injury, and property damage. Where the conduct was worse than ordinary carelessness, punitive damages may be available. If the at-fault driver carried little or no insurance, your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may apply. That's a source of recovery many people don't realize they've been paying for.
How the firm handles injury cases
Injury cases are taken on a contingency fee: no fee unless there's a recovery, and the fee agreement is in writing before the case starts. You deal directly with the attorney, not a call center, from the first investigation through demand and negotiation. If the insurer won't be reasonable, the next step is filing suit in the Mobile County courts.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to file an injury claim in Alabama?
Generally two years from the date of injury. Limited exceptions apply, including for minors, but evidence disappears fast, so don't wait near the deadline to get advice.
What if the wreck was partly my fault?
Under Alabama's contributory negligence rule, any fault on your part can bar recovery entirely. That makes early legal advice and caution with adjusters critical. Don't assume you were at fault just because someone says so; fault is a legal conclusion, not an adjuster's opinion.
What does it cost to hire you for an injury case?
Nothing up front. Injury cases are contingency-fee: the firm is paid a percentage of the recovery, and only if there is one. Consultations are free.
Should I talk to the other driver's insurance company?
Not before you know your rights. You're generally not required to give the other side's insurer a recorded statement, and doing so early is one of the most common ways good claims get damaged.