Car Accident Lawyer in Selma, Alabama: What to Do After a Crash in Dallas County

If you have been hurt in a car accident in Selma or anywhere in Dallas County, the most important steps happen in the first hours and days. Alabama is a fault state, which means the driver who caused the crash, and that driver's insurance company, are responsible for the harm. But Alabama also follows one of the strictest fault rules in the country, and a single mistake can cost you the entire claim. You generally have only two years to file suit under Alabama Code Section 6-2-38. If you were injured in a crash in west Alabama, call the Law Offices of Elliott Owen Lipinsky at (334) 230-7986 for a free case review before you give any recorded statement to an adjuster.

What should I do at the scene of a car accident in Alabama?

Stop, check for injuries, and call 911. Alabama law requires drivers involved in a crash that causes injury, death, or vehicle damage to stop at the scene and give reasonable aid, and leaving the scene of an injury accident is a crime. Once everyone is safe, photograph the vehicles, the roadway, any skid marks, and the damage from several angles, and get the name, license number, insurance information, and phone number of the other driver. Ask any witnesses for their contact information, because they often leave before you realize how much they saw. Get medical attention the same day even if you feel fine, since the symptoms of serious injuries like concussions and internal bleeding are frequently delayed, and a gap in treatment is the first thing an insurer uses to argue you were not really hurt.

Do I have to report a car accident in Alabama?

Yes. Under Alabama Code Section 32-10-1, the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury, death, or property damage must immediately give notice to the local police, the sheriff, or the state highway patrol. Reporting is not just a legal duty, it also creates the official crash record that documents where, when, and how the collision happened, which becomes important evidence if the other driver later changes their story.

Is Alabama a fault or no-fault state for car accidents?

Alabama is a fault state, not a no-fault state. That means you do not turn first to your own insurance for your injuries the way drivers do in no-fault states. Instead, the at-fault driver's liability insurance pays for the medical bills, lost wages, and other harm that driver caused. Every driver in Alabama is required to carry minimum liability coverage of 25,000 dollars for bodily injury to one person, 50,000 dollars for bodily injury per accident, and 25,000 dollars for property damage, limits the Alabama Department of Insurance expresses as 25/50/25. Because those minimums are low, serious crashes often exceed the at-fault driver's coverage, which is where your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can matter.

How Alabama's contributory negligence rule can end your claim

Alabama is one of only a handful of states that still follows pure contributory negligence. Under this long-standing rule, if you are found even one percent at fault for the crash, you can be barred from recovering anything at all. Insurance companies know this, and their adjusters are trained to find any fact that shifts a sliver of blame onto you, from your speed to whether you glanced at your phone to whether you could have braked sooner. This is the single biggest reason not to give a recorded statement or accept an early lowball offer without talking to a lawyer first, because an offhand comment at the scene or on the phone can be used to argue you contributed to your own injuries.

How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Alabama?

In most Alabama car accident cases you have two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit, under Alabama Code Section 6-2-38. If you miss that deadline, the court will almost always dismiss the case no matter how strong it is. Some situations shorten the practical timeline, including claims against a city or county government, which can require written notice within months rather than years. Because evidence like vehicle data, surveillance video, and witness memories also fades quickly, waiting is rarely in your interest.

How a Selma car accident lawyer can help

An experienced west Alabama injury lawyer preserves the evidence before it disappears, handles the insurance adjusters so your words are not turned against you under the contributory negligence rule, calculates the full value of your medical bills, lost income, and pain, and files suit before the two-year deadline runs. The Law Offices of Elliott Owen Lipinsky represents injured people across Selma, Dallas County, and the surrounding west Alabama counties, from the first phone call through settlement or trial.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to hire a car accident lawyer in Alabama?

Most personal injury lawyers, including this firm, handle car accident cases on a contingency fee, which means you pay no attorney fee up front and the fee comes out of the recovery only if the case succeeds. The initial consultation is free.

Should I talk to the other driver's insurance company?

You are not required to give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement, and you should be very careful before doing so. Under Alabama's contributory negligence rule, an adjuster can use a single sentence to argue you were partly at fault and deny the entire claim. It is safer to let your lawyer communicate with the other insurer.

What if the other driver had no insurance?

If the at-fault driver was uninsured or did not carry enough coverage, your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage may pay for your injuries. Whether you have this coverage, and how much, is one of the first things a lawyer will check.

What is my Alabama car accident case worth?

There is no fixed formula. The value depends on the severity and permanence of your injuries, your medical bills, your lost income, and how the crash has affected your daily life. Because Alabama bars recovery entirely if you are found even slightly at fault, how liability is proven matters as much as the size of the damages.

If you or a family member was injured in a car accident in Selma, Dallas County, or anywhere in west Alabama, do not wait for the two-year deadline to approach or let an adjuster talk you into a quick settlement. Call the Law Offices of Elliott Owen Lipinsky at (334) 230-7986 for a free, no-obligation review of your case.