What to Know About the Statute of Limitations

If you wish to file a personal injury claim, you need to fulfill several requirements, one of which is making sure that you submit your claim before the statute of limitations is up. The statute of limitations is the deadline by which you must submit a claim for it to be processed. If you fail to do so, your claim may get dismissed and you could lose out on your chance of recovering compensation for your losses. A personal injury lawyer like one from Greenspan & Greenspan, P.C. can explain to you what you should know about the statute of limitations.

Understanding the Statute of Limitations

The statute of limitations varies from state to state, so you must find out what the deadline is for your state. For many personal injury claims, the average is two to three years. This means that you have a limited amount of time from the date of the accident to begin the claims process, starting with paperwork. Talk to a lawyer for more information about what you need to do in order to get your claim processed in time. 

Missing the Deadline

Several unexpected issues can arise while you are gathering your documents and preparing your case information. In the event that you end up missing the deadline, you will likely lose your right to file a claim. Once they find out that you missed the deadline, the defendant may try to get your case dismissed. 

Exceptions to the Rule

There are unique exceptions if your case meets certain conditions. You may be able to extend your filing deadline for various reasons, such as if the at-fault party moved to a different state and cannot be located, or if you have a disability. A lawyer can explain to you in detail about the exceptions and whether or not you can be granted an extension. 

Understanding how statute of limitations works and how they apply to your case can be confusing. With the help of a personal injury lawyer, you can get the full information that you need so that you can file your claim on time. If you are not mindful of the time limit to file your claim, you can run into delays or issues which can cause your claim not to be processed. Reach out to an experienced and trusted personal injury lawyer now if you have questions.