What is the Statute of Limitations for an Injury Claim in Florida?
A statute of limitation is basically the time you have to file a claim before the law will not recognize your claim any longer. Statutes of limitations exist to keep the law flowing smoothly and make sure that people cannot hold claims over other’s heads for long periods of time. It is in everyone’s best interest if a claimant begins the process right away so there are no vagaries or conflicts of interest down the line.
Florida is pretty standard in its statutes of limitations regarding injury claims. Most states give people 2 to 4 years to file claim. As a matter of fact, just last year Florida changed that period of time from 4 to 2 years under House Bill 837. Basically, you have a two year window to file a claim after your incident.
According to an auto injury attorney in Melbourne, Florida, this means you really need to get cracking after you are injured. The attorney told us that after getting medically cleared to do so, you should meet with an attorney right away. The legal system and insurance companies are not known for their speed. The system moves along at a steady grind.
A decent attorney will give you a free consultation to see if they believe you have a case. They will then ask you to sign some paperwork to move forward. They typically only get paid if you do. The attorney will take a percentage of your settlement or award. They will do all the heavy lifting for you so that you are not burdened by the case.
Florida leads the way in injury cases. Last year alone there were over 250,000 injuries from crashes in the state. That is not an insignificant number. Again, that number will help you realize the importance of starting the process in a timely manner after your auto accident. Filing the claim is just the start of your journey to compensation for your injuries.