When you are injured during an accident, you will want compensation to pay for your injuries. You might also have to make up for lost time at work, pain and suffering, and a variety of other issues that resulted from your accident. The good news is many cases similar to yours qualify for compensation from the at-fault party, but you need to be sure you get your lawsuit filed in the right timeframe. The following are some things to keep in mind.
Not Jumping the Gun
You don’t want to file your lawsuit too soon. Doing so could mean you miss some of the important details that are essential to winning your case. For example, you may still be getting tests done by different medical professionals. If they haven’t made a conclusion about the issues you’re facing, you may not be able to receive all the compensation for all the injuries or illnesses you actually sustained.
It’s also possible you won’t have time to collect all the evidence needed to prove your case. It will be your responsibility, with the assistance of your lawyer, to show the at-fault party had a responsibility to offer a certain level of care. You will need to show he or she neglected to provide that care, and that your injury was a direct result of that negligence. Collecting all of that evidence could take some time.
Not Waiting Too Long
It’s also important you don’t wait too long to file your lawsuit. Doing so could mean you forfeit your right to compensation. Each state has something called a statute of limitations for personal injury cases. You should speak with your lawyer to understand what the statute is in your state. You will have until that time is up to file your lawsuit. For example, if the statute of limitations is two years where you live, you will have two years from the time you received the injury to get the paperwork filed with the court.
There are some exceptions to the rule that you should be aware of. If you don’t discover your injury until a year after it occurs, the statute will typically begin at that year mark, or the time of discovery. If the statute of limitations is two years, you would actually have three years from the time of the injury because you didn’t know you were injured until a year into it. Being in a coma is another exception, as well as being a minor when your injury occurred.
Contacting a Lawyer to Assist Your Case
After being injured, you will have a lot to think about. Contact a personal injury lawyer, today for assistance in getting your claim filed on time.
