On occasion, I will have a potential client call me to discuss a personal injury accident that happened many months (and even years) after the accident happened. While there are a few possible reasons for waiting to contact me, I often believe it is because the client is embarrassed to have a claim. In fact, I have written about this topic before: https://barthelettelaw.com/embarrassed-to-have-a-personal-injury-claim/.
Additionally, personal injury victims may think they first need to recover physically before they explore their legal options. While it goes without saying that your health is vitally important, waiting to pursue a personal injury claim is never a good idea. In fact, delay can adversely affect your personal injury claim.
The good news is that even if you waited many months (or sometimes, years) you still have a valid personal injury claim.
Don’t Wait Too Long To Call a Personal Injury Attorney
The primary reason it is so critical to call a personal injury attorney right after an accident is to preserve evidence.
Naturally, the best time to investigate an accident is right after it happened. This is because witnesses’ memories will be fresh, the accident scene may be the same, and you can take photographs showing your injuries, damaged vehicles or property, and other important evidence.
However, even if you have waited several months or longer, you still have a valid claim. Now, it may be more difficult to obtain helpful evidence, but it does not mean all hope is lost.
At Barthelette Law, even if you believe you waited too long to bring a personal injury claim, we will act immediately to investigate your claim and identify and preserve all available evidence. In fact, we helped a car accident victim who came to us over 3 years after the car accident. In short time, we were able to gather enough evidence to favorably settle the case not long after we were retained. As you can imagine, the client was quite happy to get a favorable settlement, especially considering how much time had passed.
Time Limits for Personal Injury Cases in Florida
If you have waited many years to bring a personal injury claim in Florida, it is possible your personal injury is barred by the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations is the time limit by which you must file your personal injury claim with the court.
For example, under Florida Statute § 95.11(3)(a) you have 4 years to file a car accident claim, and under Florida Statute § 95.11(4)(d) you have 2 years to file a wrongful death claim.
Importantly, certain facts may shorten or extend the statute of limitations. That’s why it’s critical to call a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to discuss your claim.
Call Barthelette Law, Your Boca Raton Personal Injury Attorney
If you have waited several months, or even years, to inquire about your personal injury claim, don’t worry. We are available for free strategy sessions and will help you aggressively pursue your personal injury claim.
We are Barthelette Law, your Boca Raton personal injury attorney!
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