Can I lose my right to compensation by waiting too long?

On behalf of Aiken and Aiken P.C. Personal Injury Attorneys posted in Car Accidents, on Thursday, July 23, 2015

Suffering a serious injury in an auto accident may entitle you to collect damages from a negligent driver. However, you can lose this right by waiting too long to file a lawsuit for compensation.All states have laws designed to protect people from being forced to defend a lawsuit many years after the events upon which it is based occurred. Massachusetts has a statute of limitations requiring an auto accident victim to file a lawsuit against a negligent driver within three years from the date of the accident or risk losing the right to compensation. Statutes of limitations prevent delays by a car collision victim from putting a defendant in the position of having to begin an accident investigation several years after the accident happened. Forcing a plaintiff to file his or her claim with the courts within three years helps to prevent evidence from being lost or destroyed. It also makes it easier to get information from witnesses whose memories have not faded due to the passage of time.Failing to file a lawsuit within the statute of limitations period could result in a dismissal of the lawsuit. Because of the severity of the results of the passage of the statute of limitations, minors are granted special treatment under the law.A minor in Hyannis who has been injured in a car accident may commence a lawsuit for damages within three years of reaching the age of majority. The age of majority in Massachusetts is 18.The effects of the statute of limitations on car accidents and other personal injury claims can have serious implications that are beyond the scope of this post to cover in full detail. A personal injury attorney should be your only source of legal advice if you have been injured in a car accident and want to know your compensation rights.