Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I hire a personal injury attorney?

You should hire a personal injury attorney to ensure that your legal rights are represented. In Alabama personal injury cases, pure contributory negligence will be a factor. Alabama is one of the few states that follows this model, which can hold you back from recovering compensation.

Since Alabama is an at-fault state, if you are assigned partial blame, you would be barred from collecting any financial recovery. Without the help of a personal injury lawyer, you may lose out on the money you deserve when the insurers and defendant shift the blame to you.

At Hedge Copeland, our personal injury lawyers fully understand all applicable laws that relate to your case. With these deep understanding and investigation into the factors of your case, we will be able to develop a strong argument to encourage settlement negotiations. Additionally, we will prepare for trial from the start and make it known that we are ready to see your case all the way through the courtroom.

What are the best criteria for evaluating a plaintiff law firm?

When evaluating and choosing a plaintiff law firm, it is important to learn what types of cases they represent. You should choose one that has experience in representing cases that are similar to yours and have a strong success rate in jury verdicts and settlements.

Additionally, look at credentials to make sure the attorneys at the firm are Board Certified. You can also find reviews by legal ranking organizations and previous clients that can help ensure you choose the right plaintiff law firm to represent your personal injury case.

Ultimately, there are many qualified personal injury law firms out there. A family member or friend may provide a recommendation, though how you feel with the attorney and your comfort level should also be a part of your decision.

Do I need an attorney to file a personal injury claim?

There are no laws that mandate using an attorney to file a personal injury claim. However, it will be in your best interest to obtain qualified legal representation from the start.

Many injury victims try to handle their claims on their own and run into dead ends with low settlement offers and denials on these claims. Some are happy to be provided with an offer, though it is likely not enough to cover their losses. When you sign a release for this check, you can’t seek more money for these injuries. You may wind up paying out of pocket for all the other expenses that another person or entity caused through their negligence.

With the laws in Alabama already working against you to assign you blame for your own injuries, you should be prepared to fight for maximum recovery. Hedge Copeland has a formidable presence that has garnered a solid reputation for commanding the full value of every case.

Do insurance companies care who my lawyer is?

Insurance companies will often look to see who is representing someone with a serious injury claim. Since we try more cases than most other law firms in Mobile, insurers are already familiar with Hedge Copeland and know that we will not back down to get out clients what they deserve.

How long do I have to file a lawsuit?

The statute of limitations for most personal injury lawsuits in Alabama provides up to two years from the date of your injury. Keep in mind that this time frame is not the same as the one for filing an insurance claim.

Certain circumstances may extend or shorten this deadline, though you should make it your goal to file a lawsuit as soon as possible after your injury has occurred. When you contact Hedge Copeland, we will get the ball rolling and file your case before deadlines can lapse. If you have any questions about the deadline for filing in your personal injury case, do not hesitate to reach out to our attorneys for a more specific answer.

Do I have to file a lawsuit to recover?

Plenty of injury victims are able to recover their financial losses without having to resort to filing a lawsuit. It will depend on the factors in your unique situation. Some cases are easy to resolve through negotiations and a settlement. In other scenarios, the insurance company may offer too low of a settlement or deny the claim entirely. They may not take a plaintiff’s injuries seriously until they are served with an official lawsuit.

At Hedge Copeland, we know how the insurers work and how to negotiate for your maximum recovery. We also know when it is best to work for a settlement and when to take things all the way to trial.

What is my case worth?

It is impossible to determine an average figure for what a case could be worth without first analyzing the specifics that could impact these amounts. This requires investigation to fully calculate your financial losses.

We will look at the type of injury and its severity, type of personal injury case, the actions of the defendant, your age, the insurance policy coverage, and dozens of other metrics to make this calculation. For example, if you were in a car accident that was caused by a drunk driver and were left partially paralyzed, you would likely receive more in compensation than if someone had simply been distracted and rear ended your vehicle, causing a clean bone fracture. This is because injuries that have life-changing impacts will require ongoing medical care and these costs should be factored into the settlement amount.

When you have been injured by a negligent person or entity, it is important to sit down with our personal injury attorneys to learn more about your injuries and damages. We won’t be able to provide an estimate into the worth of your case without digging deeper into our investigation first.

Do you offer free consultations?

Yes, we do. We offer them to give you a chance to see if we’re the right fit for your needs. IWe encourage you to prepare a list of questions in advance where you can find out more about our credentials and reputation as well as how we can help you. We’ll also use this free initial meeting to determine if you have a valid case and help you understand the potential legal options you may be able to take.

How long will my case take?

Some personal injury cases will take only a few months to resolve while others may take years. There are many different factors to consider, and rushing through a case may result in getting less than you deserve.

You first need to reach your maximum medical improvement (MMI) to fully determine your long-term medical condition. If you try to push for a settlement prior to this, you could lose out on your full amount of compensation. This factor, along with conducting a thorough investigation, gathering evidence, and obtaining testimony from expert witnesses, can add more time to your case. However, being thorough is ultimately in your best interest. At Hedge Copeland, our attorneys will analyze your case once MMI has been reached and determine the best course of action and timeline.

What types of damages can I recover in a personal injury claim?

The damages you can recover in your personal injury claim will depend on your injuries and the financial losses you’ve incurred as a result of this incident. Since personal injury cases revolve around a negligent person’s actions causing your injuries, you will generally be able to recover all of your medical expenses associated with this event. These may include your ambulance ride, hospital stay, surgery, physical therapy, medications, and medical devices.

If your injuries caused you to be unable to work, you can recover your lost income or lost wages. This will vary in amount based on your earnings and how long you are unable to work. In the event that your injuries permanently impact your life, you may not be able to return to your career in your former capacity. We can then help you seek loss of future earnings.

In motor vehicle accidents, property damage is a common part of the compensation equation. For other types of personal injury cases, you may have other economic damages like these or non-economic damages, which are the intangible damages you have endured. These may include pain and suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium.

In order to fully understand the damages you can seek for your case, we will investigate and look at all factors to determine the full amount of maximum compensation you deserve.

Fee Structure:

Let’s Talk About Money

Do all personal injury lawyers offer free consultations?

Yes. There is absolutely nothing special about a plaintiff lawyer offering a free consultation. This is standard practice with all personal injury firms who work on a contingency fee basis

What does “No Fee Guarantees” and “No Fee if No Recovery” mean?

Virtually all personal injury attorneys charge what is called a “contingency” fee, which means that the lawyer only gets paid a percentage of your settlement if, and when, they recover for the client. Many firms advertise this as something special, by using the phrase “NO FEE GUARANTEE.” But it is not special. So, when you see or hear this on TV, or on a billboard ad, remember, it’s not unique to that law firm.

What questions to ask a law firm about their fees?

One of the questions you need to ask when hiring an attorney is what percentage does that law firm charge. There are “normal” or standard percentages that lawyers charge based on the type of case you have.

For instance, in workers compensation cases, the fee is fixed at 15%. In car wreck cases, the normal fee is 33 and 1/3%. In other cases that are more complicated, and require a lawyer to hire experts, the fee will increase above the normal 33 and 1/3% contingency fee amount. If the law firm charges more than the standard fee, then ask the lawyers to explain why they are charging more than the standard rate.

What separates Hedge Copeland from other attorneys and firms when it comes to fees?

Our firm has been representing injured parties for over 35 years, and believe that doing right by our clients, starting with how much we charge, is good business. We want our clients to walk away knowing that they received the best representation for a fair fee.

Some law firms have raised their fees in car crashes to 40%, even if they if settled. While this may be more financially beneficial for those law firms, Hedge Copeland refuses to follow these other law firms’ business practices. At these rates, the law firm could receive more money than the client, which we absolutely refuse to allow with our clients.

Rather, in nearly all of our Car Crash cases, we charge the same 33 and 1/3% fee when we settle your case – the same amount we charged when we began representing injury victims 35 years ago. We firmly believe that our clients deserve to be fully compensated, and one of the ways we accomplish this is not only by aggressively getting the maximum settlement in your case, but also by keeping our fee at a 33 and 1/3% if settled before trial.

We believe that doing right by the client concerning how much we charge is better for everyone in the long term, and good business. This has proven true, as many of our past clients have referred family and friends to us because of the way we handled their cases.

So, when looking for a personal injury attorney, know that Hedge Copeland will stand by you and do our part in making sure we put as much of your settlement in your pocket.