Understanding the Statute of Limitations in Personal Injury Cases

There are several ways that a person can be physically harmed. When negligence is involved in an injury accident, it could be possible for the affected individual to take legal action by filing a personal injury claim which is a civil suit. The purpose of a civil action is to recover financial compensation for the damages that were sustained.

Damages are the term that is used for the losses that a person suffers as a result of their personal injury accident. Therefore, damages could be economic which would be the tangible financial losses such as the cost of medical treatment. Damages could also be non-economic, like the pain and suffering that a personal injury accident causes. On rare occasions, punitive damages are awarded when the details of how an injury accident happened are so egregious, that a defendant is ordered to pay additional money to a plaintiff as a punishment for their behavior.

In each state across the nation, there is a statute of limitations tied to filing a personal injury claim. When filing a personal injury claim, understanding what the statute of limitations is and how it can affect your case, is crucial. Your financial compensation is linked to abiding by the statute of limitations for your case.

For assistance with a personal injury claim in Florida, the Tampa personal injury attorneys at Fulgencio Law offer legal counsel and representation.

What is the Statute of Limitations in a Personal Injury Case?

The statute of limitations is the amount of time that a person has to file a claim. The statute of limitations can range anywhere from one year to six, but there are several caveats that can change the statute of limitations in certain situations.

The Florida statute of limitations for a personal injury claim is two years. This means that if you were injured in an accident where negligence was involved in Florida, then you will likely, only have two years from the date your accident happened to file your claim.

The reason why it is important to know how long you have to file a claim, or what the statute of limitations is, is because if you fail to file your claim in the established amount of time you will be unable to secure the financial compensation you need for your damages.

It is easy to look at a year or two and think that this is a long time, but there are many things that can happen in the personal injury process and time can fly by fast. This is why it is usually recommended not to wait to connect with an attorney to start the claims process after a personal injury event.

Call Fulgencio Law Today

The personal injury claims process can be complex, and you aren’t expected to be an expert in tort law or know all of the rules that define how you can secure the monetary compensation you need. An experienced attorney can advise you of your rights and help you with the claims process so that everything is done properly and you have the best chance of securing maximum recovery from your claim.

If you have questions about filing a personal injury claim in Florida, please call (813) 463-0123 to schedule your free consultation with an attorney at Fulgencio Law.