Christopher Belk Estes

Former Insurance Defense Lawyer now devoted to representing individuals, families and small businesses throughout Alabama and Mississippi who have been injured, harmed or damaged in any way.

For over 16 years, Chris Estes defended the insurance industry and big corporations and knows first-hand how they deny claims when individuals and their families have been injured, damaged and even wrongfully killed. Chris Estes founded the Estes Law Firm with one simple and straightforward purpose – to provide individuals and their families with the same representation and resources as the corporations and insurance companies demand from the big defense law firms they retain.

Chris Estes also serves as a Temporary Judge (on a part time basis when needed by the Court) for the Probate Court of Mobile County, and presided on over 100 cases in Mobile County as a Judge in 2018.

Chris Estes and his team at The Estes Law Firm are dedicated to helping real people and their families with cases involving wrongful death, serious personal injury, dangerous drugs, defective medical devices, car and big truck accidents, nursing home negligence, medical malpractice and class actions.

If you have suffered a personal injury, damages or the death of a loved one, let Chris and his team at Estes Law Firm go to work for you. We offer a free initial consultation and work on a contingency fee basis – which means you owe us nothing unless we can collect for you.

Bar Requirement: No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.

University of Alabama School of Law

J.D. (1998) | Law

1995 - 1998

Honors: George P. Taylor Outstanding Advocacy Award

University of Fribourg School of Law, Switzerland

Law

1996 - 1996

Spring Hill College

B.S. (1995) | Political Science

1991 - 1995

Managing Partner

Estes Law Firm

2014 - Current

After representing large corporations and insurance companies for over 16 years, Chris founded The Estes Law Firm to provide that same level of representation to individuals, their families and small businesses who have been injured, harmed or damaged in any way. The Estes Law Firm is dedicated to helping real people and their families with matters involving wrongful death, serious personal injury, construction defects, employment matters, car and big truck accidents, nursing home negligence, medical malpractice and complex class action litigation. Estes Law Firm, LLC 105 North Conception Street Mobile, AL 36602 (251) 476-9009 www.esteslegal.com chris@esteslegal.com

Managing Attorney - General Liability Division (AL and MS)

Vernis & Bowling, LLC

2012 - 2014

Managing Partner (AL)

Wilkins Tipton, LLC

2010 - 2012

Partner

Alford, Clausen & McDonald, LLC

2002 - 2010

Associate

Armbrecht Jackson, LLC

1998 - 2002

NAFTA

SHC Journal of Global Affairs

Practical Tips for Involuntary Commitments, Mobile County Probate Court Appointed Lawyer Training Seminar, Mobile County, AL

January 30, 2019

Mobile County Probate Court

Chris Estes serves as a Temporary Judge for the Probate Court of Mobile County. At this seminar, Chris presented Practical Tips to the seminar attendees for the handling of cases on the Involuntary Commitment Dockets.

Panel Counsel Presentations, DRI Nursing Home Seminar, Orlando, Florida

September 10, 2010

DRI

Judge Pro Tempore (Temporary Judge)

Mobile County Probate Court

2018

Top 100 Civil Plaintiff's Lawyer

The National Trial Lawyers Association

2019

George P. Taylor Outstanding Advocacy Award

University of AL School of Law

1996

Mississippi Bar Association

2000 - Current

Alabama Bar Association

1998 - Current

Mobile Bar Association

1998 - Current

Alabama

Since 1998

Mississippi

Since 2000

• Free Consultation
  We offer a completely FREE initial consultation and we accept cases on a contingency fee basis - you owe us nothing unless we can collect money for you
• Contingent Fees
  We offer a completely FREE initial consultation and we accept cases on a contingency fee basis - you owe us nothing unless we can collect money for you

• Dangerous and Defective Drugs
• Defective Medical Devices
• Wrongful Death
• 18-wheeler accidents
• Car Accidents

Q. How can I ask the at fault drivers insurance company what their policy limits are without lawyer ?

May 3, 2023

A: In Alabama, the at fault driver's insurance company is not required to disclose the amount of coverage their insured has in place. You can certainly make that request of the carrier simply by sending a letter or by a telephone call, but they are not required to disclose the amounts of coverage to you. However, in situations where there is limited coverage, i.e. the statutory minimum of $25k in place, and the injuries clearly exceed that coverage, carriers will often disclose the low limits in an effort to resolve the case. Now, if you file suit, you simply send an interrogatory asking the defendant to identify all applicable policies and the amounts of coverage and a request for production for a copy of the dec pages and they have to produce it. But that only applies in litigation. Good luck with your claim! ... Read More

Q. My dog was ran over (I witnessed it) by a truck going 50 mph down a dead end road in the country. What could I do?

June 10, 2020

A: Oh my gosh. That is terrible and I am so sorry for your loss. You should report this to the Police and the District Attorneys Office and see if you can get them to pursue animal cruelty charges against this person. As for a civil case, unfortunately animals are treated as property and valued as such under the law. I know how cold that sounds as most of us consider our pets to be members of our family (I know we do at my house). You could potentially sue him but your damages would only be the property value of the dog. Again, I am sorry for your loss and wish you the best pursuing this against this person.

Q. We are filing a wrongful death suit for my dads death. How are damaged disbursed in a wrongful death case in alabama

June 10, 2020

A: The wrongful death proceeds will be disbursed to the heirs. Even if your sister is the personal representative and talking with the lawyers, the settlement proceeds would be split evenly amongst the heirs. At some point (prior to disbursement of any settlement amount), there will likely be a Determination of Heirs filed in the Estate in Probate Court to set out who the heirs of the estate are and that is who will receive the money, but, note, that the actual wrongful death proceeds will pass (be paid) outside of the Estate.