If you have become the victim of a personal injury case, you need to know that your legal rights to compensation will not be available to you indefinitely. There are certain laws that dictate how long you have to assert your rights, and if you fail to act within that specified period of time, you lose your ability to seek any sort of civil or criminal recourse. This is known as a statute of limitation, and it varies by state.
From the opposite perspective, if you are on the receiving end of a potential lawsuit, you want to know that the constant worry of negative expectations isn’t going to be hanging over your head forever. That’s the point of a statute of limitations: it forces both parties to either act or move on with their lives.
In Mississippi, the statute of limitations for medical malpractice cases is, at most, two years. If the case directly involves a county or state (governmental) hospital, it may be even shorter. The statute of limitations for most other types of personal injury cases is 3 years, except for intentional torts (which are 1 year).
It’s important that you understand that your clock starts ticking as soon as an injury occurs, so you don’t have a lot of time to sit around and think about whether or not you want to seek damages. The only time that this can get a little hazy is in cases where the victim is unaware that the injury has occurred. This is often true for medical malpractice. In these cases, the limit is set relative to the date of “discovery” (when you learn of the injury).
If you’re interested in learning more about your rights or what time limits apply to your own case, contact our team of skilled personal injury attorneys. Our team can provide the guidance you need to receive the compensation that you deserve.
Contact the skilled and proven team at Coxwell & Associates, PLLC at (601) 265-7766 for a case consultation.
Disclaimer: This blog is intended for general information purposes only, and is not a substitute for legal advice. Anyone with a legal problem should consult a lawyer immediately.