What Is a Statute of Limitations?

In the context of legal proceedings related to personal injuries, a statute of limitations is the maximum amount of time that can elapse after an injury before filing a claim. For example, if the statute of limitations is two years, that would mean that you have two years to initiate the lawsuit, after which point your claim would no longer be considered valid. Essentially, the statute of limitations is the deadline for initiating the claim-filing process. The exact statute of limitations will vary depending on the situation and the state in which the event occurred.

 

Is There a Statute of Limitations on Personal Injury Claims?

All states have set statutes of limitations for personal injury lawsuits. Most states have set the statute of limitations for personal injury claims to two years after the date of the injury. However, in some states the statute of limitations can be as long as six years. Here’s a list showing the statute of limitations on personal injury claims in all 50 states:

  • Alabama – 2 years
  • Alaska – 2 years
  • Arizona – 2 years
  • Arkansas – 3 years
  • California – 2 years
  • Colorado – 2 years for standard personal injury claims (3 years for claims involving vehicle) accidents
  • Connecticut – 2 years
  • Delaware – 2 years
  • Florida – 4 years
  • Georgia – 2 years
  • Hawaii – 2 years
  • Idaho – 2 years
  • Illinois – 2 years
  • Indiana – 2 years
  • Idaho – 2 years
  • Kansas – 2 years
  • Kentucky – 1 year for standard personal injury claims (2 years for claims involving vehicle) accidents
  • Louisiana – 1 year
  • Maine – 6 years
  • Maryland – 3 years
  • Massachusetts – 3 years
  • Michigan – 3 years for standard personal injury claims (1 year for personal injury protection) claims
  • Minnesota – 2 years
  • Mississippi – 3 years
  • Missouri – 5 years
  • Montana – 3 years
  • Nebraska – 4 years
  • Nevada – 2 years
  • New Hampshire – 3 years
  • New Jersey – 2 years
  • New Mexico – 3 years
  • New York – 3 years
  • North Carolina – 3 years
  • North Dakota – 6 years
  • Ohio – 2 years
  • Oklahoma – 2 years
  • Oregon – 2 years
  • Pennsylvania – 2 years
  • Rhode Island – 3 years
  • South Carolina – 3 years
  • South Dakota – 3 years
  • Tennessee – 1 year
  • Texas – 2 years
  • Utah – 4 years
  • Vermont – 3 years
  • Virginia – 2 years
  • Washington – 3 years
  • West Virginia – 2 years
  • Wisconsin – 3 years
  • Wyoming – 4 years

As you can see, only three states have set their personal injury claim statute of limitations to less than two years. Louisiana and Tennessee are the only states that have set their statutes of limitations to one year for all kinds of personal injury claims. In California, Nevada, Texas, and most other states, the statute of limitations is set to two years for all kinds of personal injury lawsuits. Keep in mind that many states have shorter statute of limitations when you sue a governmental entity. Be sure to consult with a lawyer to confirm the statute of limitation on your case.

 

Is There a Statute of Limitations on Medical Malpractice Claims?

The law governing medical malpractice claims is slightly different because it is possible for some time to pass before the injury resulting from the malpractice is discovered. As a result, many states have set statute of limitations that may be based on the date of diagnosis instead of the date that actual the malpractice occurred. For example, in California a medical malpractice lawsuit must be filed one from the date that you knew or should have suspected the malpractice not to exceed three years from the date of the malpractice.

 

Is There a Statute of Limitations on Negligence Lawsuits?

Typically, the laws related to negligence lawsuits follow the same statute of limitations as personal injury claims. For example as personal injury claims are generally brought under a theory of negligence.  In California you have two years from the date of negligence to initiate a lawsuit against the negligent party. However, keep in mind that the longer you wait to initiate legal action, the greater the risk you have that the statute of limitations has expired.  Still, even if it has been one year and 11 months since the date of negligence, it is still worthwhile to pursue a lawsuit if you can prove that the other party was at fault.

 

Is There a Statute of Limitations on Wrongful Death Claims?

In most states, the statute of limitations for filing a wrongful death lawsuit follows the same general time frame as a typical personal injury lawsuit. That means the loved ones of the deceased, or the legal representatives they’ve elected, have two years (California) from the date of death to initiate a lawsuit against the allegedly responsible entities.

 

Is There a Statute of Limitations on Slip and Fall Claims?

As you might imagine, a slip and fall case falls under general personal injury claims, which means you’d have two years to file a claim in most states (see the list above for the exact statute of limitations in your state).

 

Is There a Statute of Limitations on Camp Lejeune Injury Claims?

Camp Lejeune represents a unique kind of personal injury case, so you might be wondering if the same statues of limitations apply to it since the event occurred across multiple decades from the mid-1950s to the late 1980s. Since the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) was only passed in August of 2022, claimants have two years from the date the Act was passed to file a claim. That means the deadline for filing a lawsuit to obtain compensation for Camp Lejeune water contamination is August 10, 2024. Prior to the CLJA passing, residents of North Carolina and other states who had previously worked or lived at Camp Lejeune were not able to file claims against the government due to the state’s general three year statute of limitations on personal injury claims.

 

Still Not Sure If Too Much Time Has Passed Since Your Injury?

If you still have questions about whether you remain eligible to file a claim for compensation, try discussing your situation with a personal injury attorney during a free consultation. Call us at 877-557-4221 and let the brothers fight for you! It should only take 5-10 minutes or less to get a professional opinion on whether you should pursue a lawsuit based on a simple recollection of the events and a few questions about your supporting evidence and documentation.

What to Say to Your Insurance Company After a Car or Semi-Truck Accident

After being involved in a car accident, you might experience a whirlwind of emotions and it can be quite terrifying. Even if you are lucky enough to not be seriously hurt, the stress, worry and anxiety after a car accident feels awful, and could lead you to act or speak in a way that might compromise your best interests when it comes to your case.

In fact, your insurance company or that of the other driver might be waiting for you to say the wrong thing. For example, apologizing at the scene might feel natural to you if the other driver has been hurt or their car is wrecked. But while you might be saying sorry just to be nice, insurance companies might take this as an admission of fault and hold you liable for the accident, even if you weren’t at fault.

 

What to Say to the Insurance Company After an Accident

You will likely get a call from the claim adjuster from your insurance company around a few days after the accident, in which they will want to get more information on the details of what happened. It’s important to bear in mind that insurance companies are looking out for themselves rather than you. Because of this, you need to be prepared for them to be looking out for any reasons to reduce your payout as much as they can. The best way to avoid giving them anything to use to do this is to say nothing at all and hire an experience personal injury attorney.  If you find that you must provide a statement keep your conversation as short and to the point as possible. Some tips to keep in mind include:

Give General Information

When speaking to your insurance company, you are only obligated to provide general or basic details about the accident. This includes personal information about yourself such as your name, the type of car you were driving when the accident happened, the other cars involved, the names of other people involved in the accident, where the accident happened, when it happened, and information on the other driver’s insurance company.

 

Don’t Provide a Recorded Statement

You are not under any legal obligation to provide a recorded statement to your insurance company. It is important to avoid recording a final verbal statement, without consulting a good car accident or personal injury lawyer beforehand, who can help you do this in a way that is in the best interests of your case.

 

Don’t Be Too Specific

Even if you have got medical attention after being involved in the accident and are aware of the extent of your injuries, it is important to avoid giving a detailed description of them or providing a final statement regarding your injuries to the insurance company. This is because after a car crash, injuries may appear later down the line, especially if you have internal injuries that are not always obvious. Along with this, there is also the risk of your current injuries escalating into something more serious.

 

What You Should Never Say After a Car Accident

Whether you are talking to the insurance company, the other driver involved, or witnesses at the scene, it’s important to choose your words carefully after a car accident. The vocabulary that you use could lead to problems with your case after a car accident, even if you said them innocently or meaning well. Some things that you should always avoid saying after a car accident include:

Sorry

Even if you are simply the type of person who apologizes a lot and you feel bad for the other driver involved, apologizing to them is always a bad idea. Even if you think that you might be at fault for the accident, don’t say sorry to the other driver. This is because any witnesses to the interaction might see this as an admission of guilt or taking responsibility for the accident.

 

That You Don’t Have an Attorney

If you are contacted by your insurance company before you have had the chance to get in touch with us here at Karns & Karns Personal Injury & Accident Attorneys, the last thing you should do is admit to them that you don’t have a lawyer yet. If your insurance company knows that you do not have any legal representation, they might try to reduce your compensation. For example, they may offer a quick settlement, which will typically be significantly lower than the amount you could have received.

 

Let’s Handle It Ourselves

You should always tell your insurance company about any car accidents that you are involved in. It’s not uncommon if you have a minor crash that only causes a little bit of damage to your car, and has not led to any serious injuries, to consider simply not telling your insurance company about it, getting the cars fixed and getting on with your life. However, it’s important to resist the urge to avoid reporting a car accident, especially if it was only a fender bender. The truth is that you may be due compensation for any crash, and not reporting a car accident to your insurance company will only make it harder to receive the payout you are owed.

If you’ve been involved in a car crash, then it’s important to carefully choose the words you use at the scene and when talking to your insurance company. Get in touch with our experienced lawyers today if you need advice on what to say. Call us at 877-557-4221.

Process of a Personal Injury Claim in Nevada

When you are involved in an accident or another personal injury incident that has left you injured and in pain, it’s advisable to start the process of filing a personal injury claim as soon as possible. A Nevada personal injury lawyer is often the first lawyer that many people will hire. Along with this, a personal injury claim might be the first time that you have had to deal with an insurance adjuster or have to navigate the personal injury laws in Nevada.

The good news is that if you have been injured, then you don’t have to go through the claims process on your own. Working with one of the experienced personal injury lawyers at Karns & Karns Personal Injury & Accident Attorneys, you can have legal representation on your side to handle all the aspects of the claims process and communication with insurance companies so that you can better focus on getting your life back on track after the accident.

 

Personal Injury Claim Process in Nevada – What Steps Are Involved?

Typically, a personal injury claim will go through a certain process. In Nevada, the steps throughout the process of your personal injury claim will usually be the same in any area. Having a good understanding of the basics and the process that your personal injury case will go through can help the entire experience be a less stressful one for you and provide you with more information on what you can do to increase your chance of receiving a fair settlement offer.

 

Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer

The first recommended step in the process of filing your personal injury claim is to hire a good personal injury attorney with experience handling cases like yours. At Karns & Karns Personal Injury & Accident Attorneys, our experienced lawyers who are well-versed in all types of personal injury cases. Whether you have been involved in a slip and fall accident, an accident in an Uber, a car accident, a motorcycle accident, or some other accident, we have the skill and knowhow to handle any type of personal injury case.

You may want to do some research before finding the best personal injury attorney for you. You can use the State Bar of Nevada website to find out more about certain lawyers and research their disciplinary history. Be sure to read reviews and find out more about what other clients have to say about the lawyer.

Once you have some potential attorneys, come up with some questions that you can ask them. For example, you may want to know more about their record of settling cases vs going to trial, whether they have any special certifications that could help your case, what their experience is with handling cases like yours, how much they think your claim is worth, if they see any potential problems with the case, and how you will be expected to communicate with them and their team.

 

Investigation

The next stage in the process is an investigation into the accident and injury, which will be conducted by your personal injury lawyer to help determine how you were injured. In Nevada, the person who files the claim also has the burden of proving that the injury was caused by the other party. You will need to prove that there was a legal duty of care that was breached, causing the injury in question. You will also need to prove any damages you have suffered as a result.

Your lawyer will gather evidence to prove fault and causation and establish the liability for your damages. Experts witnesses and other professionals may be hired to assist with this. Evidence can include photos and videos, accident reports, medical records, and expert opinions. Your employment records may also be used, along with the testimony of any witnesses to the accident.

 

Settlement Demand and Negotiations

Your lawyer will prepare a settlement demand letter to send to the defendant’s insurance company. This should include a description of how the accident or injury happened, the legal basis for why the other party is being held liable for your damages, a description of the injuries and damages you have suffered, and a demand for a specific compensation amount to settle the claim.

The insurance company can then either accept or decline the offer. In most cases, you can expect them to issue a counteroffer for less. This will then begin a back-and-forth negotiation process until both parties reach a settlement that they agree on.

 

Trial

If a settlement cannot be agreed upon, then your personal injury case may need to go to trial. In most cases, the trial will last a few days, and usually no longer than one week. The evidence will be presented in front of a jury, who will then deliberate and determine whether or not the other party is liable and if you are to be awarded compensation for your injury and damages.

 

Damages in a Personal Injury Case

A good Nevada personal injury lawyer will pursue all damages that are available for your case. This is one reason why hiring an attorney is always advised, as representing yourself could mean that you receive less than your claim is worth if you’re not aware of all the damages you are entitled to. In general, most victims can receive compensation for economic damages, which include medical bills, out-of-pocket expenses, personal care, physical therapy, nursing care, loss of income, and diminished earning potential. Along with this, victims may also be eligible for compensation for non-economic damages or pain and suffering, which could include emotional distress, mental health, physical discomfort, scarring and disfigurement, loss of quality of life or enjoyment of life, and disabilities and impairments.

If you have been injured in an accident through no fault of your own, here at Karns & Karns Personal Injury & Accident Attorneys, we are here to help you get the process of a Nevada personal injury claim to recover compensation started as soon as possible. Get in touch today for a free consultation. Call us today at 877-557-4221.