How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

In Georgia, there are statutes of limitations which restrict how much time you have to file a lawsuit after being injured in a car accident or other incident. The statutes of limitations are actually different for personal injury cases than they are for property damage cases. If the government is involved in any way, then you will have far less time to take action.

What Is the Statute of Limitations for Car Accidents in Georgia?

For personal injury lawsuits in Georgia, you will have two years from the date of the incident to file your lawsuit. If the lawsuit only involves property damage, you will have four full years to file the suit. Keep in mind that you simply must file the lawsuit within this timeframe – some lawsuits can take a while to be resolved.

If your claim is against a government agency, your timeframe to file a lawsuit is much more limited. The exact statute of limitations will vary based on the unique details of your case, and whether you are pursuing a suit against a city, municipality, or the state itself. If you believe a government agency is responsible for your injuries, call a Marietta injury lawyer immediately!

What If I Don’t Immediately Notice My Injuries?

For car accidents, the majority of injuries will be noticed immediately after the crash, or within a few days or weeks after. Since you usually have two years to file these suits, the time it takes to notice these injuries isn’t normally a big deal.

For medical malpractice, product liability, and certain other types of cases, you may not notice your injuries for months or years after the “incident” occurred. In these instances, the statute of limitation will generally start from the time the injury is discovered. For example, if you had a hip replacement surgery, and a faulty piece was used which caused the hip replacement to fail after 4 years, the clock would start once you’ve noticed the hip starting to fail.

Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute. Call (770) 427-5498 Today.

Although you have two years to file most personal injury lawsuits, it’s important to start the process much earlier than that. This is because the threat of a lawsuit is one of your most powerful tools when negotiating a settlement with the insurance company. If you call a Marietta injury attorney soon after the accident, they will be in a much better position to get the maximum recovery possible on your behalf.

File your claim before time runs out. Call today for your free case consultation.