If you were in an accident and thought you walked away unharmed, you might be thankful. However, what if you will start feeling pain a few days or weeks after the accident? Delayed injury is common in many types of accidents. You may not understand the injury’s full extent at first. However, this impacts your possible personal injury lawsuit, especially the statute of limitations. This is what an Ontario, CA personal injury lawyer can help you understand. If you have been hurt because of the negligence of another party, the count may have already started for when you can file a lawsuit.
The Statute of Limitations in California
To understand the impact of a delayed injury on your personal injury lawsuit, you must understand the statute of limitations. In California, you have two years from the date of the injury to file for a personal injury lawsuit. Missing this deadline means losing the opportunity to recover compensation for your injury. However, if injuries appear long after the accident, another rule applies for this situation, and this impacts when you can file a lawsuit. In this case, you have a year from the date the injury was discovered to file a lawsuit. The delayed discovery rule only applies if you truly weren’t aware of the previously unknown injury or no reasonable individual would have. The statute of limitations can also be delayed if you a minor, out of state, in prison, or considered insane.
Reasons to Hire an Attorney for Delayed Injuries
Determining when the statute of limitations can be delayed can be hard. For instance, you may experience delayed pain from an accidental injury two weeks after the accident. How much time do you have to file a claim?
A personal injury attorney can answer any questions you may have and advise you on how to move forward. Your ability to secure compensation is on the line, so you must not miss the legal filing deadline. The best attorney in Ontario can help ensure you file a claim on time.
Kinds of Delayed Injuries
The following injuries may take days, weeks, or even months to present symptoms. However, they can seriously impact your life:
- Whiplash. This injury results from sudden, violent head movement during a car accident. The pain and swelling associated with this injury may increase days after the accident.
- Internal bleeding. While you may not know you are bleeding inside after an accident, continuous bleeding can be deadly when not addressed right away.
- Concussions. This type of traumatic brain injury can affect your cognitive abilities resulting in a permanent, life-changing disability.
