If you’ve never had to consider hiring a personal injury attorney before, it’s likely that you have a lot of questions about what happens next. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident by the negligence of another, you’ll want to hire an attorney who has the experience to shepherd your case through to settlement or jury trial.
After a serious accident and injury, a victim’s focus should be on their physical recovery. While your health a first priority, you should also begin thinking about legal recovery as soon as you possibly can. All states have laws that impose a statute of limitations on all personal injury claims. A statute of limitations means that once a certain period of time has passed, injured victims will not be able to recover from any negligent or otherwise responsible parties. If you have been injured in an accident that was caused by another person’s negligence, you should not wait to explore your legal options.
When it comes to personal injury cases in Florida, an injured person has four years starting from the date of the accident and including weekends and holidays to file a lawsuit. If you miss this deadline for filing your claim, the court most likely won’t accept or hear your case at all. Circumstances specific to your case might make that period shorter, so it is important to consult with an attorney at the earliest possible time so that you can discuss the specifics regarding your case and your injuries.
Certain situations arise where an injury may not present itself in the four-year or two-year period after an injury. In those rare instances, the four-year period could be extended to account for the later discovery of an injury.
