Last updated: October 5, 2026 · Written by John C. Hubbard, Attorney
Hoover sits across two counties, and that single fact decides where a Hoover injury case is filed and who hears it. John C. Hubbard, LLC represents people hurt in wrecks and falls throughout Hoover, from the Galleria and Riverchase to Bluff Park, Greystone and Ross Bridge, and handles the case in whichever courthouse it belongs. John has practiced in Alabama since 2008. No fee unless money is recovered.
Jefferson County or Shelby County?
Most of Hoover, including the Galleria, Riverchase, Bluff Park and the stretch of U.S. 31 through the city, is in Jefferson County, and injury cases there are filed in the Jefferson County Circuit Court in Birmingham. The parts of Hoover along U.S. 280 and Alabama 119, including Greystone, Inverness and much of the Cahaba Valley, are in Shelby County, where suit is filed in the Shelby County Circuit Court in Columbiana. The two counties draw different jury pools, and defense lawyers and insurers value the same case differently depending on which side of the line it falls. The firm checks the location of the wreck against the county line before the demand goes out, because it affects the number.
Where Hoover wrecks happen
I-459 through Hoover carries the heaviest traffic in the city, and the interchanges at U.S. 31, Alabama 150 and I-65 produce the rear end and merge collisions that make up most of the firm’s Hoover files. U.S. 31 from Patton Chapel Road through the Galleria area, Alabama 150 from the interstate to Bluff Park and Ross Bridge, and the U.S. 280 corridor from I-459 to Alabama 119 are the surface streets to watch. Hoover Police investigate wrecks inside the city; ALEA handles the interstates. Ask for the report number at the scene, because the report is the first document the firm requests.
Deadlines, including the short one
Two years from the injury to file suit in Alabama (Ala. Code § 6-2-38). If a City of Hoover vehicle or employee was involved, or the injury was caused by a defect in a city street or sidewalk, a sworn claim must be filed with the city clerk within six months (Ala. Code § 11-47-23). Claims against either county must be presented within twelve months. Evidence has its own deadlines that are far shorter: store video is overwritten in days or weeks, and the firm’s first letter in every case is a demand that it be preserved.
Alabama’s contributory negligence rule
If the defendant proves you were at fault in any degree, Alabama law bars your recovery entirely. Every question the adjuster asks is aimed at that rule. Do not give a recorded statement before the firm has reviewed the file. The rule does not apply to wanton conduct, such as drunk driving, and it is the defendant’s burden to prove.
Treatment, liens and what you keep
Hoover clients commonly treat at Grandview Medical Center on 280, Brookwood Baptist, or the urgent care clinics along 31 and 150. Each provider, and your health insurer, Medicare or Medicaid, can claim repayment from the settlement, and Alabama hospitals have an automatic lien under Ala. Code § 35-11-370. The firm negotiates those liens down after the settlement amount is set. You see every number before you sign anything.
Falls at the Galleria and other commercial property
A fall in a Hoover store or parking deck is a notice case: the owner is liable only if it knew or should have known about the hazard. The surveillance video and the inspection log are the evidence, and both disappear quickly. Photograph the hazard before you leave if you can, get the manager’s name, and call the firm the same week.
Start your Hoover injury case
Answer the questions below and John will review your summary, usually the same business day. It takes about three minutes. Or call 205-378-8121. Se habla español.
Frequently asked questions
Which court hears a Hoover car wreck case?
The Jefferson County Circuit Court for most of the city, or the Shelby County Circuit Court in Columbiana for the 280 and Highway 119 side. The location of the wreck controls.
Does the firm charge for a consultation?
No. The review is free and there is no attorney’s fee unless money is recovered.
What if the wreck was partly my fault?
Under Alabama’s contributory negligence rule that can bar the claim, but the defendant has to prove it, and it does not apply when the other driver was wanton. Tell the firm the facts; do not tell the adjuster.
The other driver was uninsured. Do I have a claim?
Against your own uninsured motorist coverage, yes, and Alabama allows stacking across up to three vehicles on the same policy.
This page is general information about Alabama law, not legal advice, and contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. No representation is made that the quality of legal services is greater than that of other lawyers.