About Lockhart & Carroll, Attorneys at Law

Personal injury Birmingham clients bring to Lockhart & Carroll, Attorneys at Law includes the full range of accident and negligence claims that arise in Jefferson County, Alabama’s most populous jurisdiction. The firm serves injured Alabamians in Birmingham and the surrounding metro, handling cases from initial insurance negotiations through trial in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County.

Lockhart & Carroll operates as a full-service personal injury practice with experience across auto accidents, trucking collisions, premises liability, and wrongful death claims. Birmingham’s position as Alabama’s largest metro — with dense highway interchange traffic on I-20, I-59, and I-65 — generates a high volume of serious motor vehicle injury cases that demand attorneys familiar with the local court system and insurance landscape.

Personal Injury Birmingham Practice Areas

Jefferson County cases are heard at the Jefferson County Courthouse in downtown Birmingham, one of Alabama’s busiest civil courts. Alabama follows a pure contributory negligence standard — one of only five states to do so — meaning any degree of fault on the plaintiff’s part can bar recovery entirely. This makes thorough, early case investigation critical, and experienced personal injury counsel in Birmingham understands how to build cases that withstand contributory negligence defenses.

• Motor vehicle and commercial truck accidents
• Premises liability and slip and fall
• Wrongful death claims
• Product liability and defective equipment

What Birmingham Clients Say

Clients dealing with Jefferson County personal injury matters consistently value attorneys who are upfront about Alabama’s contributory negligence rule and its implications for their specific facts. Families pursuing wrongful death claims under Alabama’s unique wrongful death statute — which allows only punitive damages, not compensatory — particularly benefit from counsel experienced with this jurisdiction’s distinctive approach to damages.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Alabama’s contributory negligence rule affect Birmingham personal injury cases?

Alabama is one of only five states that still applies pure contributory negligence: if a court finds you even 1% at fault for your own injuries, you are completely barred from recovering any damages. This makes early evidence preservation, witness interviews, and accident reconstruction particularly important in Jefferson County cases. An experienced personal injury Birmingham attorney will work to establish that the defendant bears 100% of the fault before the defendant’s insurer can raise this defense.

How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Alabama?

Alabama Code § 6-2-38 sets a two-year statute of limitations for most personal injury claims. The clock generally starts running on the date of the injury. Wrongful death claims must also be filed within two years under Alabama Code § 6-5-410. Missing this deadline almost always results in permanent loss of your right to sue, regardless of how strong your case might otherwise be.

What should Birmingham accident victims do immediately after a collision?

Document the scene thoroughly with photos and video before any vehicles are moved if it is safe to do so. Obtain names and contact information for all witnesses. Seek medical evaluation the same day, even if injuries seem minor — gaps in medical treatment are frequently used by Alabama defense attorneys to argue injuries were not caused by the accident. Report the accident to your own insurer promptly, but avoid giving recorded statements to the other party’s adjuster without legal counsel present.