How long do you have to sue for personal injury in California?
Personal injury cases often involve serious injuries. Depending on the severity of your injury, the recovery period could last for weeks or months. In some cases, injuries can result in permanent disabilities.
Cases such as these place a huge burden on the victim and his or her loved ones — physical, mental, and emotional. The financial burdens resulting from hospital bills, rehabilitation services, and rehab or long-term living arrangements can be enormous.
The purpose of personal injury lawsuits is to provide an avenue for the victim to pursue compensation for negligence on the part of the party or parties responsible for the accident. Some of the types of damages that are involved in personal injury lawsuit include:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
So, how long do you have to sue if you’ve been injured in an accident that resulted from negligence on the part of another?
Statute of limitations
Each state has its own deadline or statute of limitations when it comes to filing personal injury claims. Depending upon the state, statute of limitations can be as short as one year to as long as six years. Two years is the statute of limitations on how long you have to file a personal injury claim in California.
The statute of limitations is a very strict deadline. If you’re a resident of California, you have 24 months from the day of your accident within which you can file a personal injury lawsuit for damages. Therefore, it’s important to the success of your case that you enlist the services of a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Your personal injury attorney will investigate and collect evidence concerning the circumstances surrounding your case and will work towards getting you the maximum compensation.
Speaking with someone who knows the laws
If you’re considering hiring an attorney to litigate your personal injury claim, you want an attorney that has a vast knowledge of personal injury laws and years of experience when it comes to getting fair and adequate compensation for his or her clients.
Personal injury attorney, Greg Yates, has been a practicing attorney for 40 years and handles cases in L.A., San Bernardino, Orange, Ventura, and Riverside Counties. Mr. Yates and associates have successfully recovered over a half a billion dollars for their clients through personal injury settlements, jury verdicts, and awards.
Our firm offers clients personalized, compassionate advice and counsel. We will work tirelessly to make sure that you get the compensation necessary to recover from your injuries and to help get your life back to normal.
If you’re in need of a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer that speaks Spanish, contact the Encino office of Greg Yates to schedule a free consultation. Se habla espanol.