If you have been injured, and that injury was the result of someone else’s actions, then you might have grounds to file a personal injury claim. However, it is important that you file at the right time – not too early and not too late. Keep reading to discover what this means and then contact Law Offices of Michael A. Kahn at (310) 209-1600 to request a free legal consultation.
The Statute of Limitations is Important
One of the main reasons that timing is so important is the statute of limitations. Depending on when your accident occurred (and/or when your injury was discovered), and depending on who the defendant is in the case, you could have anywhere from six months to two years to file your claim. That said, this does not mean that you want to automatically file as soon as possible. There are many other factors that must be taken into consideration.
There Are Risks in Filing Too Soon
Regardless of the type of accident or injury, there are bound to be some issues that are not immediately clear. For example, some injuries caused by car accidents might not be diagnosed for days or weeks after an accident, whiplash, head injuries, and back injuries among them. Even if the injuries are clear, the implications and long-term costs of the injury might not be clear for some time.
Unfortunately, if you accept a settlement you cannot recover future damages if it becomes clear that the results of the accident are more long-lasting or that there are other issues. This is why you do not want to accept any offer or file your claim until your doctor and attorney have had a chance to analyze the injuries and get a good idea of the long-term impact.
There Are Risks in Filing Too Late
Of course, you could face issues if you file too late too. As mentioned above, you likely have anywhere between six months to two years to file your case. If you do not file your case within that time then you will not be able to recover damages – with a few exceptions. For example, if you did not discover that you were injured until a year after the accident, then you can request that the clock begins on the date you discovered the injury.
It is Never Too Early to Contact an Attorney
Note that the above relates entirely to filing a personal injury claim. You can contact an attorney immediately after the accident. In fact, we recommend that you do so. The sooner we are aware of the case, the sooner we can begin gathering evidence. We can help you determine the right time to make the filing and the best way to get the compensation you deserve. Contact Law Offices of Michael A. Kahn at (310) 209-1600 now to request a free legal consultation.
