Time Limitations on Lawsuits — The clock is ticking…

Did you know that if you have been hurt or injured due to negligence or a defective product, there is a limited time within which you may bring your claim?

All states, including the State of Florida, have rules called statutes of limitations regulating the time period within which claims may be brought.  In fact, some cruise ships impose even stricter time limits, some as short a one year from the date of incident, and include that limitation on your cruise ticket.

As a lawyer, I speak to many potential clients who explain that special circumstances, or life’s everyday troubles, or dealing with their injuries, prevented them from seeking legal counsel. Or, that emotionally they needed time to decide to proceed with a legal remedy for their losses.  All of these circumstances are understandable, however, they are not usually sufficient to overcome the time limits and “toll” the statute of limitations.

While there are sometimes exceptions to the rule, the best route if you believe you have been injured or suffered the loss of a loved one caused by negligence or a defective product, is to seek legal counsel as soon as possible. Why? There are several reasons:

• The time limits are generally strict rules that may result in you losing the ability to pursue a claim forever.
• It is important to give your legal team the opportunity to investigate, preserve the evidence and speak to witnesses while the incident is fresh in their minds. And many claims have requirements that must be met before a lawsuit can be brought. Your legal team needs time to properly explore, prepare and prosecute your case.
• Your legal team can help you in the early stages, dealing with insurance adjusters, medical bill processing, car replacement and much more, so that you can focus on healing and getting better.
• Finally, the old saying, “the sooner the better.” Many statutes of limitations begin to run as soon as the injured person knew, or should have known, that they suffered an injury caused by the negligence of another.

Don’t wait until the last minute. Give your legal team the time and information necessary to represent you in the best manner possible.

The clock is ticking ……don’t let it run out on your legal rights.