Legal

The Legal section covers court rulings, statutory changes, liability trends, and key developments in Alabama and federal law that shape personal-injury claims. We explain how case law and regulation affect claims strategy, statutes of limitations, damages, and the rights of injured people pursuing justice.

When City Hall takes on the Post Office

Are there to any two American institutions more irksome to the average American than the U.S. Postal Service and City Hall? The say “you can’t fight city hall” and as for haling…

By Clay Rossi

/ 26 Feb 2013

Picking a Lawyer

You have been injured in a wreck. The driver of the other car ran a red light and t-boned you. The insurance adjuster is leaning on you to settle your claim. But my doctor says that I may need…

By Pete Mackey

/ 21 Feb 2013

Comet Foretells Changes to Come

In many ancient cultures, comets were viewed has harbingers of change – sometimes doom, death and destruction. The year 2013 is being heralded as the year of the comet. Apropos of…

By Clay Rossi

/ 19 Feb 2013

Slayer Statute in Alabama: How to Protect Insurance Policy Proceeds from a Killer

I recently spoke with someone about whether or not an insurance policy would be paid to a criminal defendant who admitted to killing the policy holder. The defendant pled self-defense, but…

By Dottie Perry

/ 18 Feb 2013

Farmers Insurance Found Guilty of Defrauding its Own Agent

Entering a $2.4 million verdict for the plaintiff, a Mobile, Alabama, Circuit Court jury found in favor of a Farmers insurance agent against Farmers last week. The plaintiff agent was Kyle…

By Dottie Perry

/ 13 Feb 2013

Are Jurors Entitled to Reality?

Recently hitting the “odd news” circuit is the case of Plaintiff John Huttick and how a mistrial was declared in Philadelphia’s Common Pleas Court. Huttick had sued a man,…

By Clay Rossi

/ 11 Feb 2013

Find Good Nursing Home Care

Last week I wrote an article on ombudsmen and how they can help nursing home residents and their families see that residents are getting the proper care….

By Billy Cunningham

/ 7 Feb 2013

What Can I settle My Case For? Part 4

In my last three posts, we have been using a hypothetical situation to discuss the various factors involved in settling a personal injury case. In my latest post, our client Jane authorized us to…

By Pete Mackey

/ 6 Feb 2013

Protecting Your Property Rights In a Cyber-World

With the advent of the Internet a slew of “virtual” legal problems have arisen that could not have been dreamed about before the technology existed. Most of the issues revolve…

By Clay Rossi

/ 5 Feb 2013

Bad Faith: Insurance Companies' Devilish Denials

It is a poorly kept secret that insurance companies do what they can to avoid paying claims. At what point, however, does a denial or attempt at a denial of a claim violate the rights of the…

By Dottie Perry

/ 4 Feb 2013

The Authority of Nursing Home Ombudsmen

On Monday, January 28, 2013, USA Today had an article about ombudsmen and their authority to look out for the health, safety and rights of elderly or disabled people living in nursing homes…

By Zeb Ramey

/ 31 Jan 2013

What Can I settle My Case For? Part 3

In my last post, I raised a hypothetical situation as a way to discuss a lawsuit settlement more spcifically. This week, let's move five months down the road and get into the negotiating…

By Pete Mackey

/ 30 Jan 2013