Ala. Code tit. 6, ch. 5, art. 23 — Death | Code of Alabama 1975 (through the 2026 Regular Session) — Alabama

Ala. Code § 6-5-410 Wrongful Act, Omission, or Negligence Causing Death.

6-5-410. Wrongful Act, Omission, or Negligence Causing Death. (a) A personal representative may commence an action and recover such damages as the jury may assess in a court of competent jurisdiction within the State of Alabama where provided for in subsection (e), and not elsewhere, for the wrongful act, omission, or negligence of any person, persons, or corporation, his or her or their servants or agents, whereby the death of the testator or intestate was caused, provided the testator or intestate could have commenced an action for the wrongful act, omission, or negligence if it had not caused death. (b) The action shall not abate by the death of the defendant, but may be revived against his or her personal representative and may be maintained though there has not been prosecution, conviction, or acquittal of the defendant for the wrongful act, omission, or negligence. (c) The damages recovered are not subject to the payment of the debts or liabilities of the testator or intestate, but must be distributed according to the statute of distributions. (d) The action must be commenced within two years from and after the death of the testator or intestate. (e) For any cause of action brought pursuant to this section, the action may only be filed in a county where the deceased could have commenced an action for the alleged wrongful act, omission, or negligence pursuant to Section 6-3-2 or 6-3-7, if the alleged wrongful act, omission, or negligence had not caused death. Nothing in this subsection is intended to override Rule 82 of the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure. (f) This section shall only apply to actions filed after June 9, 2011. (Code 1852, §§1940, 1941; Code 1867, §§2299, 2300; Code 1876, §§2641-2643; Code 1886, §2589; Code 1896, §27; Code 1907, §2486; Acts 1911, No. 455, p. 484; Code 1923, §5696; Code 1940, T. 7, §123; Act 2011-522, p. 838, §§1, 2.)

Ala. Code § 6-5-411 Injuries to Decedent’s Property Resulting from Wrongful Act, Etc., Causing Death.

6-5-411. Injuries to Decedent’s Property Resulting from Wrongful Act, Etc., Causing Death. (a) The personal representative of a deceased person may commence an action in a court of competent jurisdiction within the State of Alabama, and not elsewhere, and recover such damages as the jury may assess for injuries or damages to the property of the decedent resulting from the same wrongful act, omission, or negligence which caused the death of the decedent, provided the decedent could have commenced such action if the wrongful act, omission, or negligence causing the property damage had not also caused his death. (b) Such action may be commenced though there has not been prosecution, conviction, or acquittal of the defendant for the wrongful act, omission, or negligence; and it shall not abate by the death of the defendant, but may be revived against his personal representative. (c) The damages recovered are not subject to the payment of the debts or liabilities of the decedent, but must be distributed according to the statute of distributions. (Acts 1956, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 113, p. 170.)