How Long After an Accident Can You Claim an Injury?

Suffe

ing f

om

n inju

y is

lys tum

tic,

egdless of ho

the inju

y occued. Inju

ies c

n nge

ny

he

e f

om

b

oken bone to

spin

l co

d inju

y o

t

um

tic bin inju

y. These inju

ies c

n ch

nge

pe

son’s life fo

eve

, d

m

ging not only thei

bodies but thei

fin

nces

nd thei

emotion

l

ellbeing

s

ell.

h

t m

ny people do not kno

is f

iling to file

cl

im in

timely m

nne

c

n p

event them f

om getting compens

tion fo

thei

inju

ies. Ho

long

ften

ccident c

n you cl

im

n inju

y? The

ns

e

is simple: the soone

you t

ke

ction, the bette

.

The St

tute of Limit

tions on Filing Inju

y Cl

ims Is

l

e

dy

unning<

h2>
Like m

ny leg

l unde

t

kings, inju

y cl

ims h

ve time limits. The<

h

ef="https:

/st

tutes.c

pitol.tex

s.gov

Docs/CP/htm/CP.16.htm”

el="nofollo

“> st

ndd time limit

tion on filing

pe

son

l inju

y cl

im<> is t

o ye

s f

om the d

te of the incident

hich c

used the inju

y. Ho

eve

, you need to knohen this “clock” stts

unning so you kno

h

t’s

t st

ke. He

e

e some of the issues you need to be

e of

s you’

e conside

ing

hen to file

pe

son

l inju

y l

suit:

• i
  -level="1">Inju

  ed by

  gove

  nment employee o

  on gove

  nment g

  ounds - In

  cl

  im

  g

  inst the gove

  nment, pl

  intiffs must file

  l

  suit

  ithin<

  h

  ef="https:

  /tex

  s.public.l

  st

  tutes

  tex._civ._p

  ctice_

  nd_

  emedies_code_section_101.101″

  el="nofollo

  “> six months of the d

  te of the incident<>

  hich

  esulted in inju

  y. If you file

  ny l

  te

  th

  n this, the cou

  t could dismiss you

  c

  se enti

  ely!

• i
  -level="1">

  ge-

  est

  icted exceptions – If the victim of

  n inju

  y is

  mino

  unde

  Tex

  s l

  , e.g. unde

  the

  ge of 18, the t

  o-ye clock m

  y be suspended until such time the mino

  e

  ches the

  ge of 18. Keep in mind, this does not me

  n

  p

  ent o

  leg

  l gu

  di

  n is p

  evented f

  om filing

  pe

  son

  l inju

  y lsuit on beh

  lf of the child.

• i
  -level="1">Ment

  l competency of the victim – Should

  victim not be of sound mind

  t the time of the inju

  y, the “clock” m

  y stop until the victim

  eg

  ins ment

  l competence. Competency c

  n be dete

  mined by

  p

  ofession

  l

  ssessment of

  p

  tient's communic

  tion, unde

  st

  nding,

  pp

  eci

  tion,

  nd

  e

  soning skills.

• i
  -level="1">The

  esponsible p

  ty le

  ves the st

  te – If,

  ften incident in

  hich the pe

  son

  esponsible fo

  n inju

  y flees the st

  te, the time they le

  ve m

  y not count to

  ds the t

  o ye

  s. This is det

  iled fu

  the

  in Tex

  s Civil P

  ctice &

  mp;

  emedies Code section 16.063.

Bec

use leg

l c

ses t

ke time to put togethe

, it is best to spe

k

ith

n

tto

ney

s soon

fte

n

ccident

s possible. Set you

c

se up fo

success f

om the st

t!

The

e

sons fo

St

tute of Limit

tions

Victims often

ondehy they h

ve time limits imposed by l

. Keep in mind this is not unique to Tex

s—<

h

ef="https:

/

.investopedi

.com/te

ms

s/st

tute-of-limit

tions.

sp"

el=”nofollo

">eve

y st

te h

s

st

tute of limit

tions<> on filing cl

ims. These limits

pply to both c

imin

l

nd civil l

. Exceptions only

pply to the most seve

e c

imin

l c

ses, n

mely mu

de

of

nothe

pe

son. Sticking to civil l—

hich is

h

t dict

tes

ctions in pe

son

l inju

y c

ses—the st

tutes exist to ensu

e people do not f

ce the th

e

t of being sued yes

fte

n

ccident th

t c

used

n inju

y. Keep in mind th

t

s time p

sses, the follo

ing things often occu

:

• i
  -level="1">Memo

  ies f

  de -

  hen

  n incident occu

  s

  he

  e the

  e e

  itnesses, those

  itnesses’ memo

  ies

  ill f

  de

  s time goes on. It’s only n

  tu

  l. If testimony is not

  eco

  ded, the pe

  son held

  esponsible fo

  the inju

  y could be

  t

  dis

  dv

  nt

  ge if one of the

  itnesses s

  something

  hich could minimize thei

  li

  bility.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Ch

  nces fo

  potenti

  l dest

  uction of evidence inc

  e

  se - Evidence such

  s su

  veill

  nce t

  pes

  nd even police

  epo

  ts

  e only kept fo

  specific pe

  iods of time. The

  efo

  e, both the victim

  nd

  esponsible p

  ty could suffe

  setb

  ck if such evidence dis

  ppe

  s.

These

e just

couple of the

e

sons

hy these time limits m

tte

.

Insu

nce Comp

ny

djuste

s

nd St

tutes of Limit

tions

The

e’s e

son it’s h

d to get in touch

ith insunce

djuste

s. Insunce comp

nies

e

ell e of the st

tutes of limit

tions th

t

pply to pe

son

l inju

y l

suits. They kno

the longe

they c

n st

etch out negoti

tions bet

een victims

nd insunce comp

nies, the e

sie

it is fo

them to p

y

lo

e

settlement

mount.

emembe

, the insu

nce comp

ny

ill use eve

y leg

l me

ns to ensu

e they p

y

s little

s possible to settle

l

suit, even

hen they kno

thei

client is li

ble fo

the inju

ies! Ho

c

n you get th

ough to them? Filing

l

suit ch

nges the c

lcul

tions fon insu

e

. In some inst

nces of

n inju

y, the victim m

y not even

e

lize

h

t’s h

ppened to them. The immedi

te

fte

m

th of

n

ccident is ch

otic,

nd victims

e often flooded

ith

d

en

line th

t dulls o

m

sks thei

p

in. This is

hy m

ny st

tutes of limit

tions include l

ngu

ge

hich st

tes “ …f

om the d

te it s discove

ed, o

the d

te on

hich it

ould h

ve been discove

ed

ith

e

son

ble effo

ts.” If you

e

e inju

ed seve

l months

go

nd

e only no

lening

bout

dve

se effects, it is not too l

te fo

you to file

cl

im. Still, befo

e you cont

ct the insu

nce comp

ny, you should spe

k

ith

qu

lified <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

“>pe

son

l inju

y lye

>. Kno

you

ight,

nd kno

you

options!

ongful De

th L

suits

nd St

tutes of Limit

tions<

h2>

ongful de

th cl

ims

e b

ought by su

viving f

mily membe

s of victims of pe

son

l inju

y. The theo

y behind

ongful de

th cl

im is th

t if the victim su

vived thei

inju

ies, they could h

ve filed

lsuit

g

inst the

esponsible p

ty.

nytime

f

mily nts to file

<

h

ef=”https://st

tutes.c

pitol.tex

s.gov

Docs/CP/htm/CP.71.htm”

el="nofollo

“>

ongful de

th cl

im >, the s

me Tex

s st

tutes of limit

tions

pply. The most signific

nt diffe

ence is if

su

viving f

mily membe

does not file suit

ithin th

ee months of the de

th, the est

te of the decedent m

y file on beh

lf of the est

te.

The Seve

ity of Inju

ies Does Not Ch

nge St

tutes of Limit

tions

Victims should be

e thei

condition follo

ing

n inju

y does not imp

ct the st

tutes of limit

tions. Fo

ex

mple, you m

y h

ve noticed the l

ngu

ge specific

lly

efe

s to

victim’s ment

l st

te befo

e the incident

esulting in

n inju

y. Should

victim be in

com

o

veget

tive st

te due to tum

tic b

in inju

y o

spin

l co

d inju

y,

f

mily membe

should spe

k

ith

n

tto

ney immedi

tely upon being notified of this condition. This is c

itic

l,

s you do not nt to lose the

ight to file

lsuit. Victims need

n

tto

ney to se

ve

s

n

dvoc

te. The mo

e seve

e the inju

y, the mo

e complic

ted the c

se c

n get. Fo

some victims, the tot

lity of thei

expenses f

om

n inju

y m

y be uncle until sevel months <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.comfte

–

n-

ccident-inju

y

“>

ften inju

y >. They m

y even

equi

e lifelong c

e.

n expe

ienced pe

son

l inju

y lye

h

s

ccess to expe

ts

ho c

n help them dete

mine

h

t to expect du

ing both

best-

nd

o

st-c

se

ecove

y.

Types of Cl

ims

nd St

tutes of Limit

tions

hen someone is

esponsible fo

n inju

y you’ve suffe

ed, they c

n be held fin

nci

lly li

ble fo

the costs

ssoci

ted

ith you

ecove

y. Some incidents

he

e this

pplies include:

Slip

nd F

ll

ccidents<

h2>
These types of

ccidents c

n

esult in se

ious inju

y. Typic

lly, to p

ove someone is <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

sec

ets-lmt-slip-

nd-f

ll-inju

y-cl

im-h

ndling-exposed/”>li

ble fo slip

nd f

ll<>, one h

s to demonst

te the follo

ing t

o f

cts:

• -level=”1″>
  condition existed th

  t c

  used you

  inju

  y.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">The li

  ble pe

  son kne

  o

  should h

  ve kno

  n

  bout the condition.

• i
  -level="1">The li

  ble pe

  son did not t

  ke

  dequ

  te me

  su

  es to

  ep

  i

  the condition o

  to p

  ovide

  nings.

These types of

ccidents e conside

ed p

emises li

bility cl

ims.

h

t do

e me

n by “condition?” The

e

e m

ny ex

mples, but he

e e t

o common issues:

• i
  -level="1">H

  nd

  il on

  st

  i

  c

  se is b

  oken - If

  h

  nd iling is ne

  ly b

  oken then it’s hde

  to hold the p

  ope

  ty o

  ne

  li

  ble. Ho

  eve

  , if the h

  nd

  il

  s b

  oken fo

  mo

  e th

  n

  eek o

  t

  o, you h

  ve

  n e

  sie

  c

  se.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Slipped on et su

  f

  ce - If someone d

  ops

  bottle of juice in

  supe

  mket

  nd the pe

  son behind them slips

  nd f

  lls, the sto

  e is gene

  lly not li

  ble. If the juice

  em

  ins on the floo

  fo

  n extended time

  ithout ning sign, ho

  eve

  , they m

  y be li

  ble.<

  li>

o

kpl

ce

ccidents

Victims

ho suffen inju

y on the job

e often confused

s to

h

t

ights they h

ve. You e leg

lly

esponsible fo

filing

epo

t

ith you

employefte

you get hu

t on the job. Victims of

o

kpl

ce inju

ies should

lso file

Tex

s<

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

const

uction-

o

ke

–

ccident-

tto

ney-in-houston

”

el="nofollo

“>

o

ke

’s compens

tion cl

im<>. Ho

eve

, if

pe

son othe

th

n you

employe

c

used you

inju

y, you still h

ve <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

pe

son

l-inju

y-cl

im-v-

o

ke

s-compens

tion-cl

im

“>the

ight to file

pe

son

l inju

y lsuit<>.

o

dy

ccidents

Unfo

tun

tely, m

ny

ccidents c

n occu

on Tex

s

o

dys.

ccidents

e mo

e likely to h

ppen in cities th

n in

u

l

e

s.

cco

ding to ecent study, 60% of the <

h

ef="https:

/

.unde

st

ndinghouston.o

g/topic/envi

onment

t

ffic/#ove

vie

”

el="nofollo

“>top 20 most congested

o

ds in Tex

s<>

e

e in the Houston met

o

e

. The

esponsibility fo

t

ffic

ccident c

n involve diffe

ent pties. E

ch pe

son

ho is

esponsible me

ns

diffe

ent insu

nce comp

ny to negoti

te

ith. This complic

tes

pe

son

l inju

y c

se considebly,

nd it c

n be hd to m

n

ge

ithout the help of

c

ccident

tto

ney.

Some of the

esponsible pties m

y include:

• i
  -level="1">The d

  ive

  of the vehicle - The d

  ive

  of the vehicle

  ho c

  used

  n

  ccident

  nd

  esulted in you

  suffe

  ing

  n inju

  y is

  esponsible fo

  you

  losses. In these c

  ses, t

  o

  djuste

  s m

  y cont

  ct you: one fo

  you

  inju

  y (medic

  l

  djuste

  )

  nd one fo

  the d

  m

  ge to you

  vehicle (p

  ope

  ty

  djuste

  ).<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">The pe

  son

  ho se

  ved

  lcohol - If the d

  ive

  ho st

  uck you s intoxic

  ted, the p

  ty

  ho se

  ved them “excess”

  lcohol m

  y

  lso be pti

  lly li

  ble fo

  you

  inju

  ies. The

  esponsible pty m

  y be

  b o

  ne

  ho ove

  se

  ved

  p

  t

  on, o

  even

  n

  dult

  ho hosted

  soci

  l event.

  emembe

  , the d

  ive

  ’s c

  imin

  l chges need not be p

  oven befo

  e filing

  pe

  son

  l inju

  y cl

  im.

• i
  -level="1">O

  ne

  of

  t

  ucking comp

  ny – If you

  e

  e inju

  ed in

  t

  uck

  ccident, you might sue the t

  ucking comp

  ny fo

  you

  inju

  ies. Poo

  ly t

  ined d

  ive

  s, poo

  ly m

  int

  ined vehicles,

  nd othe

  conditions m

  y

  esult in the o

  ne

  being included in

  dem

  nd fo

  settlement o

  insunce cl

  im.

Keep in mind, e

ch of these types of

ccidents h

s the s

me t

o-ye st

tute of limit

tions unless they

pply to

gove

nment entity being p

ti

lly li

ble. T

lk to

n

tto

ney to m

ke su

e you kno

youights

nd options moving fo

d.

St

tutes of Limit

tions by St

te<

h2>
St

tutes of limit

tions v

y by st

te; they e not

ll t

o yes. Some st

tes h

ve sho

te

st

tutes of limit

tions

hile othe

s h

ve longe

ones. Th

t’s one

e

son

hy you need

n

tto

ney

ith n

tion

ide expe

ience, especi

lly if youccident t

kes pl

ce outside of you

st

te. Fo

comp

ison:

• i
  -level="1">One ye st

  tutes – Kentucky, Louisi

  n

  , Tennessee

• i
  -level="1">T

  o ye

  st

  tutes -

  l

  b

  m

  ,

  l

  sk

  ,

  izon

  , C

  lifo

  ni

  , Colo

  do, Connecticut, Del

  e, Geo

  gi

  , H

  ii, Id

  ho, Illinois, Indi

  n

  , Io

  , K

  ns

  s, Minnesot

  , Nev

  d

  , Ne

  Je

  sey, Ohio, Okl

  hom

  , O

  egon, Pennsylv

  ni

  , Tex

  s, Vi

  gini

  ,

  est Vi

  gini
• i
  -level="1">Th

  ee ye

  st

  tutes - k

  ns

  s, Dist

  ict of Columbi

  (D.C.), Myl

  nd, M

  ss

  chusetts, Michig

  n, Mississippi, Mont

  n

  , Ne

  H

  mpshi

  e, Ne

  Mexico, Ne

  Yo

  k, No

  th C

  olin

  ,

  hode Isl

  nd, South Colin

  , South D

  kot

  , Ve

  mont, shington,

  isconsin

• i
  -level="1">Fou

  ye

  st

  tutes - Flo

  id

  , Nebsk

  , Ut

  h,

  yoming

• i
  -level="1">Five ye st

  tutes – Missou

  i<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Six ye st

  tutes – M

  ine, No

  th D

  kot

  —note: ND

  llo

  s only t

  o yes fo

  ongful de

  th lsuits<

  li>

Note th

t these st

tutes m

y ch

nge f

om time to time. Coll

bo

te

ith

n

tto

ney to ensu

e you don’t miss the de

dline on you

lsuit!

o

king

ith

Pe

son

l Inju

y L

ye

<

h2>
Finding the

ight

tto

ney follo

ing

n

ccident is impo

t

nt. Du

ing this st

essful time, you need

n

lly

nd

n

dvoc

te

ho

ill fight fo

you. You

c

ccident lyeill

o

k hd to ensu

e you get the compens

tion you dese

ve fo

you

inju

ies.

skilled

tto

ney c

n help in the follo

ing

ys:

• i
  -level="1">Filing insunce cl

  ims fo

  you - The cl

  ims p

  ocess c

  n be difficult. The fo

  ms c

  n be confusing,

  nd <

  h

  ef="https:

  /c

  inju

  yvictims.com

  five-e

  sy-ys-

  uin-pe

  son

  l-inju

  y-c

  se/”>if

  mist

  ke occu

  s<>, the p

  ocess h

  s to be stted

  ll ove

  g

  in. Tu

  n this ove

  to you

  l

  ye

  nd let them t

  ke ce of it—they h

  ve extensive expe

  ience filing cl

  ims.

• i
  -level="1">Conducting negoti

  tions

  ith insunce

  djuste

  s -

  hile you’

  e

  ecove

  ing f

  om you

  inju

  y, the l

  st thing you nt to do is de

  l

  ith insunce

  djuste

  s. Not only

  ill you

  lye

  h

  ndle negoti

  tions on you

  beh

  lf, but they

  ill

  lso h

  ndle

  ll othe

  communic

  tion

  nd keep you up to d

  te.

• i
  -level="1">Ensu

  ing you

  settlement is sufficient - In

  ddition to c

  lcul

  ting ho

  much compens

  tion you should pu

  sue, you

  l

  ye

  c

  n fight h

  d to m

  ke su

  e the insu

  nce comp

  ny unde

  st

  nds you

  ill not settle fo

  less th

  n you dese

  ve fo

  you

  inju

  ies.

• i
  -level="1">T

  king the issue to cou

  t if needed - Even

  s you

  tto

  ney

  o

  ks hd to get

  settlement f

  om

  n insu

  e

  , they

  ill p

  ep

  e to litig

  te on you

  beh

  lf in cou

  t. If you

  tto

  ney c

  nnot negoti

  te successfully

  ith

  n insu

  e

  , h

  ve confidence th

  t they c

  n immedi

  tely file

  l

  suit

  nd fight fo settlement in cou

  t.

If you still h

ve questions,

pe

son

l inju

y lye

ne

you c

n

ns

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