How The Statute Of Limitations Impacts A Car Accident

There is a lot to do after a car accident that you need to be aware of. People are injured, property is damaged, and you need to pull your life together. However, it's important to start the legal process in a timely manner due to the statute of limitations, which can potentially make a lawsuit invalid if you wait too long. Here is what you need to know about how the statute of limitations can impact a car accident. 

What Exactly Is The Statute Of Limitations?

The statute of limitations is the legal term that refers to how long you must make a legal claim against another person. Different actions have different limitations, and it is designed to prevent a lawsuit from occurring years after an incident occurs. 

Since laws vary across the country, it's important to be familiar with the local statute of limitations in your jurisdiction. There may come a point where an injured person loses their right to legal recourse, and you cannot go back and fix things by filing paperwork before the deadline once it has passed. 

What Can You Lose Out On By Missing A Deadline?

Be aware that you'll lose the ability to receive any sort of compensation by missing a deadline to file a lawsuit due to the statute of limitations. This includes your medical expenses, lost wages, damaged property, and compensation for pain and suffering. You'll lose the right to receive anything from the responsible party.

Why Do People Miss Their Deadline To File A Lawsuit?

A common reason why people miss the deadline set forth by the statute of limitations is that they do not have all of their medical bills in. They are still recovering from their injury, going through rehabilitation, and regularly visiting the doctor for treatment.

Know that you do not have to be done with your medical treatment to sue for a personal injury related to a car accident. It's unfortunate, but you need to estimate your damages when you file a lawsuit since you won't be able to ask for more later on after you settle your case. Thankfully, a lawyer can help you determine how much you need to request for your specific injury.

How Do You Estimate Your Damages?

Lawyers will use previous cases they've worked on to know how much a car accident settles for. Since settled cases are not part of the public record, they can provide you with real-world situations that never made it to court to know what insurance companies pay out. This will give you a good idea of how much to request, even though you haven't received the last medical bill for your treatment. 

Contact a local car accident lawyer for more info.