There are special laws that require personal injury claims to be filed within a certain amount of time. These laws, better known as statutes of limitations, vary from state to state. These laws are put into place to help protect you in the event that you have suffered an injury, as well. They are also put into place to protect individuals who have been wrongfully accused at being at fault for negligence. Should someone try to take advantage of another individual by blaming them for a personal injury, statutes of limitations will govern to what degree the accused individual is responsible (as well as how long the injured individual has to file a claim). In New York, most negligence actions must be filed within three years from the date of the accident.

However, certain types of cases, like lawsuits against municipalities, medical malpractice, and wrongful death claims, have more restrictive time limits. Some of these timelines can be somewhat flexible if an injury is discovered much later, but still have restrictions that will govern the entire process. No matter the type of injury, it’s important to file your claim immediately to make sure that you fall within the confines of New York’s statutes of limitations.

One common question is, “Should I file a claim for an injury I just discovered even if I don’t have the money to pay for an attorney’s services?” The answer is yes. Personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. This means that unless your attorney wins your case, and you actually recover funds in a settlement, you don’t pay anything. It’s important to find out if you have a legal case, especially if someone else is responsible for your injury. Their negligence can impact not only your life, but the lives of your family as well.

Don’t waste a single minute to protect your rights. To find out if you still have time to file a personal injury claim, call Lewis & Lewis at (716) 854-2100 to speak with a personal injury attorney.

Personal injury attorneys in New York, Lewis & Lewis P.C., have been assisting injured individuals since 1944. Since then, our office has transformed into the largest combined firm of New York workers' compensation lawyers, and personal injury attorneys in Western New York.