Car accidents are traumatic, unexpected events in our lives; and sometimes the full effects of those accidents take a while to sink in. Most of the time we want to put the accident behind us and just move on. But injuries can take longer than expected to recover from or have permanent lasting effects. Time off of work due to those injuries can take a financial toll. And months down the road you’re left wondering why you didn’t take action at the moment of the accident.
So what is the time limit for filing a lawsuit after a car accident? To get that answer you need to know what the statute of limitations are for a personal injury lawsuit in your state.
What Is A Statute of Limitations?
To keep people from resurrecting decades-old hurts and trying to sue people for things that are long in the past, legislation has been created to set a maximum amount of time from the date that the offense or accident occurred, whether civil or criminal, that either party involved may initiate legal proceedings. The amounts range from 1-6 years for injury based claims and can go as high as 10 years for other claims such as breach of oral contract or property damages cases.
In both the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, you have two years past the date of the incident or accident to submit a legal personal injury claim against the other parties involved. That gives you time to assess whether injuries sustained are going to have a greater impact on your life than possibly suspected at first.
It’s Better To Submit A Personal Injury Claim Sooner Rather Than Later
Although you do have up to two years to proceed with legal action after a car accident; if you feel that the circumstances surrounding the incident warrant action, it is better to file a claim as close to the time of the accident as possible. The events are fresher in your mind and any evidence that needs preserving is still readily available. Also, if the defendant is a governmental entity (for example you are suing the state, city, or county), the injured plaintiff may first have to file a notice of intent to sue within 6 months of the accident before filing the lawsuit
If you have been injured in a car accident, whether it has just occurred or was months or even over a year ago, don’t hesitate to contact a highly rated Philadelphia auto accident lawyer such as Edith Pearce. Unlike the huge firms with dozens of attorneys and many different attorneys handling different aspects of your case; Edith Pearce is personally involved in every case that we handle. She genuinely cares about her clients and you will not be treated like just another case or file.
Contact The Pearce Law Firm, P.C. at (215) 608-0409 for a free consultation and case evaluation.