News & opinion How Long After an Accident Can You Claim an Injury?

How Long After an Accident Can You Claim an Injury?

Accident and Injury Lawyer Nationwide

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.

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