(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.
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Terms Used In Alabama Code 6-5-411

  • Acquittal:
    1. Judgement that a criminal defendant has not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
    2. A verdict of "not guilty."
     
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • property: includes both real and personal property. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
(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.
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