Wrongful Death in Alabama

The loss of a family member can be an extremely painful experience and can be made even worse when a loved one died due to the negligence of another.  Although nothing can replace your loss, obtaining some measure of justice can help can help in dealing with this extremely emotional and stressful time and punitive damages can sometimes act as a punishment or deterrent which might prevent future tragic incidents from occurring.  If you wish to have a free consultation with an Alabama wrongful death lawyer then call us at (205) 201-1789 and speak with an attorney today.

While the other 49 states provide for compensation to the family for the death of the deceased, Alabama law does not allow for compensatory damages.  Instead of focusing on the value of the life, which is used to measure compensatory monetary damages, Alabama law is meant to reflect the enormity of the wrong committed by the defendant.

The purpose of this is to punish the defendant to provide a deterrent for other potential wrong-doers from doing the same thing. Generally, all wrongful death claims must be filed within two years of death and in order for your lawyer to prove a wrongful death claim, the attorney must show that the negligent conduct was the proximate cause of the death.

A personal representative is the administrator or executor of the deceased person’s estate.  This is the person that may get a lawyer to commence a wrongful death action, except in the case of a minor (where the parents can bring the suit) and in the case of a work-related death (where the dependents have standing to bring the claim).  In Alabama, any damages are paid to the heirs of the deceased according to the laws of intestate succession (even if a will exists).

If you have lost a loved one as a result of a wrongful death then call our Alabama wrongful death lawyer at (205) 201-1789 for a free consultation.