It's About Time: The Statute of Limitations
Timing is everything in personal injury cases.
Well, not everything, unless you’ve filed too late. Then it’s the only thing that matters. When you consult a personal injury lawyer, he or she may stop you before you get too far along in your story, and ask, “Now, when exactly did this happen?”
They’ll listen a little more, but regardless how good your case may seem to be, you’ll be interrupted.
“I’m sorry Mrs. ___. You’ve missed the statute of limitations.”
“I thought I had three years!”
“Not in this case. That hole you fell in belongs to the town. You only had 180 days to put them on notice, and you’ve missed it. Unless you’ve got good cause for not doing that, we’re out of luck.”
A variety of limitations periods govern personal injury claims. Two-year periods apply in a number of situations. PIP claims – those no-fault payments you may be entitled to when injured in an automobile collision, must be brought in one year. Some claims must be submitted as early as 60 days from the date of injury. It is foolish to assume you’ve always got three years.
On the other hand, you may have longer than the typical period. Like when you need to sue an out-of-state corporation that has failed to register or qualify to do business in Maryland. Or when you don’t discover until much later that your injuries weren’t just bad luck, but caused by a defective product. In each instance, it is important to contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. It costs nothing to have a lawyer listen to your story. Pick up the phone early and learn exactly where you stand!
For information about different kinds of claims (it’s not exhaustive, and it does not substitute for legal advice), take a look at our resources page.
