How Long You Have to File a Personal Injury Claim

Personal injury cases can be devastating. Injuries can range from small cuts and bruises to death. They are never pleasant, regardless of the extent of the injuries. When you are injured, you need to worry about recovering from your injuries. You do not always have the time to sit down with an attorney and initiate a personal injury case. However, the legal system still has deadlines for how long you have until you can no longer bring about a case. These deadlines are something that an experienced personal injury lawyer, like Robert P. Merino, Attorney at Law, can help you understand. Here are the general guidelines for the different types of personal injury cases and their respective deadlines:

• Product Liability:  3 years from the date of the accident
• Slip & Fall Injury: 3 years from the date of the accident
• Medical Malpractice: 2 years and 6 months from the date of the malpractice
• Other Injuries from Negligent Behavior: 3 years from the date of the accident
• Car Accidents: 3 years from the date of the accident

It is important to note that deadlines may be shorter when dealing with injuries caused by a municipality. If you attempt to negotiate for a settlement after the statute of limitations has passed, insurance companies will likely ignore you because they know you cannot take them to court. So, you need to file a personal injury case as soon as possible.