If you suffered harm in an accident in Georgia due to another person’s wrongful, intentional, or reckless actions, you may be entitled to compensation for the injuries and losses you endured. However, before you can go after this money, you have to keep in mind that the time to pursue legal action is limited. That is why it is critical to know how long you have to file your case before your rights disappear.
What Exactly Is the Statute of Limitations?
The statute of limitation is a law that sets the maximum amount of time that individuals can begin their legal proceedings after an alleged offense. This period will usually depend on the type of legal case involved, as well as the jurisdiction.
Yet, if individuals fail to file their cases by this deadline, the court can stop them from pursuing further legal action and getting the money they need for all the losses and harm they suffered.
The Georgia Statute of Limitations Regarding Personal Injury
As a general rule, individuals in Georgia have two years to file a personal injury case. Moreover, this two-year window begins to run when the accident occurs or when the victim should have been aware that they suffered an injury due to it.
However, depending on the facts of the accident, this time period can change, and individuals may have more or less time than two years to act.
Exceptions to the Georgia Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations may be tolled. Tolling means the time to file a legal case is paused because of certain circumstances. For instance, in Georgia, these reasons could include the following:
- The wrongful party left the state or cannot be located
- The wrongful party is actively facing criminal charges related to the specific cause of action
- The victim is under 18 years old
- There is a delay in the reasonable discovery of the harm the victim endured or the cause of the injury
While these are only a few examples of when a case can be paused, it is important to understand all these exceptions, as the statute of limitations will not begin to run until the tolling factor is no longer an issue. For these reasons, if you want to figure out if any factors in your case can impact your filing deadline, consider reaching out to an experienced Georgia personal injury attorney as soon as possible. These lawyers can help you determine not only by when you have to file your case but whether there are factors that can interfere with this timing.
File Your Georgia Personal Injury Lawsuit Before Time Runs Out
If you want to ensure you have enough time to file your legal claim, consider reaching out to an experienced Georgia personal injury attorney at Richard D. Hobbs & Associates P.C.
Our legal team can promptly review and analyze your case, determine the time limits that apply and make sure that your claim is prepared and filed within the appropriate timeframes so that you can pursue the money you need.
Do not wait any longer. Contact Richard D. Hobbs & Associates P.C. today for a free case evaluation, or call us at 678-928-8309 and find out how the statute of limitations can impact your case.