Alabama Wrongful Death Claims
Wrongful Death Lawyer in Birmingham, AL
Compassionate counsel and relentless accountability. When careless conduct takes someone you love, Forstman & Cutchen, LLP fights for your family and holds the responsible party accountable.
How Alabama Law Works for Grieving Families
Pursuing Wrongful Death Claims Under Alabama's Unique Law
Alabama handles wrongful death claims differently than almost every other state. Under the Alabama Wrongful Death Act, damages are punitive. That means a jury measures the award by how wrong the defendant's conduct was, not by lost wages or medical bills.
The deadline is strict. Most wrongful death claims in Alabama must be filed within two years of the date of death, and evidence fades long before that. Trucking companies, hospitals, and insurers start building their defense right away.
A personal injury attorney who understands this distinction can present the right evidence to the jury so damages reflect the seriousness of the loss. As your wrongful death lawyer, our team starts building your case just as fast as the other side builds its defense.
Fatal Cases We Investigate
What Our Negligence Lawyer Team Investigates in a Fatal Case
Every fatal case starts with a careful look at how the death happened and who caused it. These are the situations families across central Alabama most often bring to us.
Fatal car and truck crashes
We pull police reports, black box data, driver logs, and cell phone records from wrecks on I-65, I-20/59, the Red Mountain Expressway, and rural county roads. Our trucking accidents experience helps when a commercial carrier is involved.
Medical errors
When a missed diagnosis, surgical mistake, or medication error ends a life, we work with qualified medical reviewers to show where care fell below the standard. See our medical malpractice page for more on these claims.
Workplace deaths
Construction, plant, and industrial deaths may support a claim against a negligent third party beyond workers' compensation benefits. Our work-related accidents team knows how these cases overlap.
Dangerous products
A defective vehicle part, tool, or household product can leave a manufacturer responsible. We preserve the product and trace the chain of design, testing, and warnings.
Unsafe property
Poor lighting, broken stairs, and negligent security at stores, apartments, and businesses can lead to a premises claim against the owner.
The loss of a child
Alabama law gives parents a separate path to bring a claim when a minor child dies. We explain who can file and guide you through each step with care.
How We Build Your Case
How Our Injury Law Firm Builds Your Case and Protects Your Recovery
Our team works from our office near Highway 280 and I-459 to crash sites, job sites, and courtrooms across central Alabama. Our injury law firm meets families where they are, whether that means a quiet conference room at our Highway 280 office or a hospital room when travel is not possible. Our attorneys personally review every wrongful death claim before it is filed, and our paralegals keep families updated while the case moves forward.
The case is brought by the personal representative of your loved one's estate. The money recovered passes to family members under Alabama's inheritance laws and is generally protected from the estate's debts. You can learn more about our wider practice on our personal injury page.
We also coordinate with grief counselors and financial advisors when a family asks for that support. That way, your family can focus on healing while we focus on accountability.
Families We Have Represented
What Clients Say About Our Personal Injury Attorney Team
Families trust us during the hardest season of their lives. Read what past clients from workplaces, highways, hospitals, and homes across the Birmingham area say about working with Forstman & Cutchen, LLP.
A 5-star review from a client of Forstman & Cutchen, LLP.
Where We Serve
Wrongful Death Representation Across Central Alabama
A fatal wreck in Tuscaloosa County or a hospital error near Southside Birmingham calls for the same focused advocacy. From the courthouse steps in downtown Birmingham to rural crash sites along Highway 78 in Walker County, we show up prepared. Our attorneys represent families throughout these communities and make home or hospital visits when distance or grief makes a trip to our office difficult.
Unrelenting Advocacy. Proven Results.
Talk With a Wrongful Death Lawyer About Your Family's Loss
You should not have to face the people responsible for your loss alone. Call our office at (205) 328-7400 from 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday, or ask for an after-hours or weekend meeting by appointment. We will listen to what happened, explain the two-year deadline that applies to your family, and tell you plainly whether you have a claim. You can also visit us at 2 Perimeter Park South, Suite 410E, Birmingham, AL 35243.