Do I need a lawyer after a car accident in Alabama?
Every rule below is quoted from Alabama law or a state agency, with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.
The short answer
We can't tell you whether you need a lawyer. We can show you the Alabama rules that usually decide it: how fault is split, how long you have, and how injury lawyers are allowed to charge. Many people with only car damage settle directly with the insurer. People with injuries, disputed fault or a claim near a deadline often talk to a lawyer first.
How fault changes your claim
If you were partly at fault
Alabama follows contributory negligence, not comparative fault. If a person hurt in the crash did anything even slightly careless that helped cause the crash, that person can be completely blocked from recovering any money, no matter how careless the other driver was.
“contributory negligence is a complete defense to an action based on negligence”
How long you have
- 2 years
- to sue for injuriesAla. Code § 6-2-38(l)
- 6 years
- to sue for car or property damageAla. Code § 6-2-34(2)
- 2 years
- for a family to sue after a deathAla. Code § 6-5-410(d)
- 6 months
- to notify the government if a public vehicle or road was involvedAla. Code § 11-47-23
Deadline to sue for injuries
A person hurt in a car crash in Alabama generally has 2 years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit for their injuries.
“All actions for any injury to the person or rights of another not arising from contract and not specifically enumerated in this section must be brought within two years.”
If a government vehicle or road was involved
If a city vehicle or a city owned street is involved in the crash, a claim for the damages must be presented to the city within 6 months of the crash or it is barred.
“Claims for damages growing out of torts shall be presented within six months from the accrual thereof or shall be barred.”
How injury lawyers charge in Alabama
Contingency fee rules
Alabama does not cap personal injury contingency fees at a set percentage. Instead, Alabama's Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5 says a lawyer cannot charge a clearly excessive fee, and any contingency fee agreement must be in writing and state how the fee is calculated.
“A lawyer shall not enter into an agreement for, or charge, or collect a clearly excessive fee.”
Questions to ask any lawyer before you sign
- What percentage do you charge, and does it change if the case goes to trial?
- Who pays case costs like records and expert fees if we lose?
- Will you handle my case yourself, or pass it to someone else?
- How long do cases like mine usually take here?
- What is the deadline for my claim, and when will you file?
If the insurer is the problem
File a complaint with the state
A driver who has a problem with an insurance company in Alabama can file a complaint with the Alabama Department of Insurance after first trying to resolve it with the company or agent.
“If you do not receive a satisfactory response, then fill in the Online Consumer Complaint Form.”
Sources on this page
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
- John R. Cowley & Bros., Inc. v. Brown, 569 So. 2d 375, 381 (Ala. 1990) (quoting Rowden v. Tomlinson, 538 So. 2d 15, 18 (Ala. 1988))
- ALDOI Automobile Insurance FAQs; Ala. Code § 32-7A-4
- Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l)
- Ala. Code § 11-47-23
- Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.5(a) and 1.5(c)
- Alabama Department of Insurance, File a Consumer Complaint
Know My Claim is not a law firm or a government agency, and this page is not legal advice. Laws change, so check the linked source before you rely on a deadline.