What To Know About The Statute Of Limitations When Filing An Injury Lawsuit

What To Know About The Statute Of Limitations When Filing An Injury Lawsuit

22 February 2021
 Categories: , Blog


Have you been recently injured? Are you dealing with your own recovery but also need to start the process of filing an injury lawsuit? Know that you will be running up against time limits for when you need to get the necessary paperwork filed in court. Here is what you need to know about the statute of limitations in a personal injury lawsuit. 

Know That You Have Time

While there are statutes of limitations in place that prevent lawsuits from being filed too long after an accident happens, know that you should have plenty of time to do so after your injury occurs. While every state has its own statute of limitations for personal injury cases, the time frame is measured in years rather than days or months.

On the short end of the spectrum, states like Louisiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee have limitations of 1 year from the date of your accident. On the opposite end, Maine and North Dakota have statute of limitations at 6 years. This should be enough time to get your personal injury lawsuit in order. 

Know That The Statute Of Limitations Varies Based On The Case

When you are looking at the statute of limitations, make sure that you know how it applies to your specific type of lawsuit. An injury case is going to have a different time frame than a contract dispute case. You may have one time frame for your injury lawsuit, but a different time frame to recover property damage. It is important to always consult with a lawyer so that they can tell you which statute of limitations laws you need to keep in mind to ensure that you can file a lawsuit in time. 

Know That You Just Need To Start Legal Proceedings

The statute of limitations defines the time frame that you have to start the legal proceedings for your personal injury case. This does not mean that the case needs to be resolved within that time frame, just that you have to start the process. In extreme situations where you are cutting it close, it should be possible to start legal proceedings in time with the help of a lawyer if you know that you are approaching your cut-off date. 

Do you have more questions about the statute of limitations and how it affects your case? Meet with a personal injury lawyer in your area for a consultation about your case.