St Petersburg Car Accident Statute of Limitations

If you have questions regarding the St. Petersburg car accident statute of limitations, you should highly consider reaching out to a professional injury attorney as soon as possible. This statute refers to the time limit under which someone can bring about a claim to attempt to recover compensation for their injuries after a time accident. Because time may be of the essence in terms of your case’s viability, you should highly consider consulting with a lawyer knowledgeable about the St. Petersburg car accident statute of limitations who can help you today.

Defining the Statute of Limitations

Pursuant to Florida’s statute, a driver has a four-years from the date of their car accident to file their claim for injury compensation. This four-year period is officially known as the statute of limitations. It is calculated from the exact date of the cause of action.

This statute applies to all personal injury cases that are the caused by negligence, or the reckless actions of another party who breached their duty of care to the injured individual. This includes not only car accidents, but also motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, slip and fall cases, and product liability cases as well.

Statute of Repose

Medical malpractice cases, nursing home cases, and statutes that cover the living facilities have a two-year statute of limitations, and something called a four-year statute of repose. This means that if an individual has not discovered that the injury occurred because of malpractice within four years, they are then barred from bringing those cases. Contract cases possess a five-year statute.

Does Trial Length Affect the Time Limit?

A trial can run beyond the St. Petersburg car accident statute of limitations as long as it was filed in court during the necessary four-year period. It is only if the statute runs out before someone’s case is filed that a plaintiff will lose their ability to collect compensation. It does not make a difference how long a case takes from a court’s perspective as long as the case is functioning and progressing through the court system. For this reason, it can be imperative to reach out to a skilled accident lawyer as soon as possible to ensure that a case is started on time.

The Importance of Retaining an Attorney

If a driver misses the St. Petersburg car accident statute of limitations, their ability to recover any injury compensation becomes null and void. Waiting to retain a skilled lawyer can be a risky decision as evidence could be destroyed, witnesses could forget the events or move away, and the insurance company of the party at fault will have more time to prepare their defense.

An injured driver will want to have an attorney on their side who can give them the opportunity to do something as soon as the car accident occurs. If you wish to learn more about the St Petersburg car accident statute of limitations, do not hesitate to reach out to a dedicated collision attorney today for your initial consultation.