When you are injured or a loved one is killed in an accident, the statute of limitations will determine how long you have to file a civil suit against the responsible party. The statute of limitations varies from state-to-state, often substantially, making it best to contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible following an accident.
A statute of limitations places what is essentially an expiration date on your rights and, in many cases, this date is based off of the actual date of your accident. But what happens when an injury is delayed or not diagnosed for a period of time following an accident? How can you seek justice in these cases? This is where the discovery rule come into play.
The discovery rule allows you to extend the statute of limitations by starting it at the point when an injury was or should reasonably have been discovered. This provides victims of injury that does not immediately manifest with a bit of wiggle room in taking legal action. Your attorney will be able to discuss your right to file suit in more detail during your initial consultation.
If you have been injured in any type of accident, please contact an experienced injury attorney in your area today to schedule a free case evaluation.
