Recovering physically and psychologically from an injury can be a challenging ordeal fraught with difficulty, but protecting your legal right to financial recovery is also important. New Jersey has specific laws called statutes of limitations that establish the periods of time in which an injured party may file a claim.
Filing a claim against the party or parties responsible for your injury must be accomplished within these specific deadlines described in the statute of limitations for your specific Medford injury claim, or your ability to recover monetary damages may be lost forever. For more information about Medford injury claim statute of limitations, contact an experienced lawyer today.
Statute of Limitations in Medford
A statute of limitations is a timeframe within which an aggrieved party may file a lawsuit. In other words, if you are injured by another person’s negligence and wish to recover monetary damages, you must file a lawsuit within a specific period of time in order to be eligible to recover.
Statutes of limitations exist primarily to protect defendants. This is because it is generally believed that a plaintiff with a valid claim should:
- Pursue his or her claim with reasonable diligence and file within a reasonable timeframe
- Avoid the difficulties associated with litigating an old claim, where evidence necessary to prove or disprove the claim may have been lost or forgotten with time
- Not hold the defendant hostage with the threat of litigation for an unreasonable period of time
All jurisdictions place time limitations for filing claims. Generally, in the state of New Jersey, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years from the date the harm occurred, or when the injury was detected (when an injury was diagnosed by a medical professional). A Medford injury claim statute of limitations does not mean that the case must be settled or receive a verdict within that time period, just that a valid suit must be filed within that period to be eligible for compensation.
For a free legal consultation, call (856) 528-4494
Exceptions for Minors and Other Situations
Minors fall into an exception to the statute of limitations in Medford. The deadline to file a claim for a person injured as a minor is two years from the individual’s 18th birthday.
Additionally, there are many other exceptions to the two-year statute of limitations period for personal injury. For claims originating from medical malpractice, for example, you have two years to file a claim beginning from the time when you knew or should have known that medical malpractice occurred.
What if the Statute of Limitations Deadline is Missed?
If a lawsuit is not filed within the appropriate statute of limitations period, it is highly likely that a New Jersey court will refuse to hear your claim. In this event, the ability to receive compensation for the particular injury in question may be permanently lost.
Adhering to Your Medford Injury Claim’s Statute of Limitations
Developing a winning case can take resources, expertise, and—most importantly—time. Working with a knowledgeable attorney who is used to handling Medford injury claim statute of limitations, could give you the best chance to recover.
While an injury case may seem clear-cut, recovering the maximum possible compensation from your injury claim may be not quite as simple. To ensure you file your Medford injury claim within the appropriate statute of limitations, schedule a consultation with a dedicated local lawyer today.
Call or text (856) 528-4494 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form