Alabama car accident claims

Alabama is not a no-fault state. You generally look to the at-fault driver. That is not the same thing as the shared-blame rule below.

A crash is a negligence claim: duty, breach, cause, harm. The numbers below are the published Alabama rules, not a ruling on your facts.

Last checked Sep 17, 2026 · LawyerUnc editorial. Educational only, not legal advice.

How long you have to file: Ordinary injury claims in Alabama often run 2 years (Ala. Code § 6-2-38). Tolling and discovery rules can change a date. Confirm the current statute.
If you share blame: If you are even slightly at fault, you may recover nothing. This is the harshest rule still on the books.
No-fault vs the other driver: Alabama is not a no-fault state. Drivers must carry liability insurance, not PIP. You generally look to the at-fault driver for an injury claim. Your own med-pay, if you bought it, is extra. That is insurance. It is not Alabama's contributory-negligence rule, which can still zero the lawsuit if you share any blame. (Ala. Code §§ 32-7A-4, 32-7-6(c))
What usually matters: · Alabama is not a no-fault state. There is no PIP lawsuit bar. You look to the at-fault driver.
· Contributory negligence can still zero the case if you share any blame. That is harsher than Florida's 51% bar, not softer.
· Ordinary injury is two years (Ala. Code § 6-2-38). Failure to buckle is not, by itself, contributory negligence (§ 32-5B-7).
What to save: Photos of the scene and the cars, the police report number, dashcam or store video, the other driver's insurance card, and your own medical visits in order. Do not post a joke about the crash. Use the preservation letter if a truck or a tape is about to disappear.