A serious injury can affect your life in a variety of different ways, from physical limitations to extreme financial burdens to emotional hardship. With that in mind, it’s important that you move quickly with any potential personal injury lawsuit. Otherwise, you might run the risk of missing the time limit for submitting your claim which can put you in quite a bind.
The personal injury attorneys at Peter N. Davis & Associates believe that you deserve to receive proper benefits for your injuries, and we work hard to make sure our New Jersey neighbors have all the information they need to confidently pursue their compensation. This includes meeting the legal deadlines in place for personal injury lawsuits.
We’ve compiled all of the information you need to know about the New Jersey statute of limitations so that you can make informed decisions for you and your family going forward.
What Is the Statute of Limitations?
We’ve all heard the term “statute of limitations” on our favorite crime drama TV shows, but what exactly does it mean? When it comes to filing lawsuits, the statute of limitations is essentially the deadline by which the lawsuit must be filed. Any lawsuits submitted after this deadline will most likely be dismissed outright without the opportunity to ever recover damages, though there are situations in which a statute of limitations can be extended.
When it comes to personal injury cases, the statute of limitations will typically begin on the day you were injured. In New Jersey, this period lasts two years, and cases submitted after this two-year window will be thrown out of court.
Extending the Statute of Limitations
While many states have various extensions that may be applied to the statute of limitations in a personal injury case, perhaps if the defendant skipped town, New Jersey holds fast to their two-year time limit.
The only exception arises if the victim was an infant at the time of injury. In this case, the individual will have until two years after their eighteenth birthday to file a claim for compensation. In all other cases, the two-year time limit begins on the date of the accident.
Don’t Miss Your Chance
The best bet to avoid letting the statute of limitations pass you by is to file your personal injury lawsuit as early as possible. Of course, in most cases, this is easier said than done, and if you are struggling with painful rehabilitation or feel overwhelmed with sudden financial pressures, you need to get in touch with a professional attorney.
Peter N. Davis & Associates has been advocating on behalf of personal injury victims for over three decades, and we want to be the ones by your side in this difficult time. For any further information on what it takes to file a personal injury lawsuit, contact one of our representatives today for your free consultation.