Personal Injury Lawyer
Car accidents don’t just cause physical injuries, property damage, and emotional distress. They also carry some hefty bills. If you were in a car accident, you’ll now have medical bills to pay for, property damage to pay for, lost wages, and emotional distress to seek compensation for. How are you going to do all that? Often, the answer is by filing a lawsuit against the individual or entity responsible for the car accident. The following will help you understand how long you have to do that.
Meeting the Statute of Limitations Guideline
Every state has a statute of limitations that offers a timeline for which someone can file a lawsuit for anything. In one state, the statute of limitations for car accidents might be two years, but for personal injury cases, it could be six years. The statute for car accidents could be three years, but a neighboring state could only allow one year to get the lawsuit filed. This is why it’s important you speak with a car accident attorney so you know the exact amount of time you have to file under the statute of limitations for car accidents in your state.
Understanding Public Entities
There are certain situations in which you may not have as long to file your lawsuit as you would if you were in a regular car accident. For example, if you were injured while in an accident with a public bus or another similar situation regarding a public entity, you may have a shortened period of time for which to file your lawsuit. Your lawyer can help you understand this, which is why a car accident attorney should be one of the first people you call after your accident.
Exceptions to the Rule
Most rules have exceptions, and the statute of limitations does as well. If you are in a coma, or are otherwise mentally impaired to where you can’t understand you were injured in an accident, the statute of limitations would most likely be extended. It would begin on the day you were deemed competent by your physician, rather than on the day you were injured.
There’s also the exception of discovery. If you were checked out by a doctor, but there were no evident injuries, you may have gone on your way, only to discover months later you were actually injured. The statute of limitations would begin on the day you discovered that injury.
Getting Started
To learn more about car accidents and the timeline you have for filing a lawsuit, contact someone with the legal knowledge to help you out. Get started by contacting an attorney, like a car accident attorney from The Law Offices of Arcadier, Biggie, & Wood, today.