Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., have been listed in the prestigious 2016 edition of Best Lawyers in America. Best Lawyers is the oldest and most distinguished peer review legal publication. The listing is recognized by the legal profession and the public as the most significant honor conferred on a lawyer.
The Huntsville personal injury law firm has been included in the 2016 listing for The Best Law Firms in America. Harvey B. Morris is listed as Lawyer of the Year and under Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs, while Joseph D. Aiello and David J. Hodge have been listed for Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation respectively.
This listing confirms Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., as highly revered Huntsville personal injury lawyers. Such an award comes after an exhaustive assessment by their peers based on professionalism, integrity and abilities. This provides the most credible, unbiased and rigorous evaluation any lawyer can receive.
What is personal injury?
If you have been injured by the negligent or careless actions of another person, then it is your legal right to seek and receive compensation. The law protects this basic right, which has been recognized from ancient civilization to this day. Every day, many people in Alabama sustain life threatening injuries due to the careless actions of drivers, institutions, or businesses.
Personal injury cases commonly result from car and bicycle accidents, negligent medical treatments, attacks by dogs and other pets, or slip and fall accidents. These incidents are usually to blame on one or more persons who failed to exercise care, and who must be held liable for the damage caused.
Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., is a top Huntsville personal injury law firm who fight to protect the rights of innocent victims of such careless incidents. They include patients in hospitals, pedestrians, drivers, customers of business establishments and many others. These victims require just and fair compensation, which at most times can be extremely difficult to secure from insurance companies.
Why is compensation critical in personal injury cases?
Anyone who has had the misfortune of sustaining a serious injury can attest to the immense pain and suffering it produces. Any accident can lead to debilitating injury and a long period of hospitalization. This may require very expensive surgery, drugs, physiotherapy and other medical procedures. The patient will be unable to work throughout this period, resulting in lost wages.
The victim may at times sustain permanent disability. In such a case, he/she will be unable to resume work for the rest of their lives. Accident victims also frequently lose their lives, leaving their dependents unable to fend for themselves.
These consequences visit upon accident victims and their families a lot of suffering and financial loss. For this reason, just compensation must be paid to the victim or the family. Alabama law provides for compensation for all these eventualities as well damage caused to property.
Why do you need a Huntsville Alabama personal injury attorney?
Many people injured in an accident are quick to seek a settlement with the insurance company. This may not be the best option depending on your case. While a prolonged lawsuit is usually not in everyone’s best interest, the following factors make the services of a lawyer indispensable in personal injury cases:
The insurer denies your claim
This is a common practice by insurance companies. The insurer may deny your claim on the basis that the accident is not covered by the policy, or that their client was not responsible for the accident. Once this happens, there is little you can do to change their position. The only solution is to hire a lawyer as soon as possible to pursue the claim on your behalf.
Contributory negligence
Personal injury cases are governed by personal injury law. These vary from state to state, and unfortunately, Alabama has some of the strictest laws when it comes to contributory negligence.
This means that should you contribute to an accident through your own carelessness, no matter how minor, you will not be entitled to any compensation whatsoever.
Insurance companies are profitable businesses that will find any excuse to deny your claim. You will need experienced Huntsville personal injury lawyers to prove that you did not contribute in any way to the accident in order to receive compensation.
Complex claim processes
Making a claim against an insurance company is a tedious process. This is especially so if you are injured or incapacitated in any way. You need to file evidence in the form of doctors’ reports, lab tests, scans, prescriptions along with police reports among others.
Furthermore, there is a statute of limitations in Alabama which requires you to file a claim within two years. If you are claiming against a government entity, this limit may be as short as six months. Failure to make a formal claim within this time period will automatically disqualify your compensation claim.
Claiming against a government entity is also a difficult process, since their first response is to claim immunity from legal action. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you to successfully secure compensation in such complex cases.
Negotiation is a craft
A straightforward personal injury case will usually be settled out of court. Even though it may be obvious that you deserve compensation, the insurance company will use experienced negotiators to ensure you get paid as little as possible. Negotiation can be prolonged and tedious, as each side tries to outwit the other into a better settlement for themselves. Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., are recognized as highly experienced negotiators when it comes to the settlement process. Without such expertise, you will end up with much less than you actually deserve.
You may end up in court
If the negotiation is not successful, you will need to go to court. However, any statement, report, document or claim you made to the insurer during negotiations will be used against you in court. It is therefore important to have legal representation right from the start, to ensure that nothing you say or do will negate your claim.
Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., are considered by other attorneys as top Huntsville personal injury lawyers. This is a major endorsement that recognizes the impressive track record that the firm has had in pursuing personal injury cases for their clients.
