How Much Time Do I Have to File a Truck Accident Lawsuit in FL?
On Behalf of Rosenthal, Levy, Simon & Sosa | July 22, 2022 | Truck Accident Injuries
When you or a loved one suffers injuries in a truck accident, the consequences can be particularly severe. Truck accident injuries are usually life-altering, usually resulting in costly medical expenses, income loss, property damage, emotional issues, and other various challenges. If another individual or entity caused your injuries, you should not have to bear the costs alone.
However, you should know that Florida has a statute of limitations that accident victims must follow when filing a suit against a liable party. If you miss this strict deadline, you will lose your legal right to bring a claim against the negligent party forever.
You Have Four Years to File Your Truck Accident Lawsuit in FL
Under Florida law, you have four years from the date of the truck accident to bring a lawsuit against the liable party to pursue financial compensation for your accident-associated damages. If you miss this time limit, the liable party will use this fact as a defense against your lawsuit.
If they establish that the four-year statute of limitations applies to your case and it has, in fact, expired, the court will have no choice but to dismiss your case. This means that you will also lose your right to recover financial compensation for your injuries, even if you’re suffering from a catastrophic injury that requires lifelong medical care and left permanently incapable of working unless a rare exception applies that can extend the four-year time limit.
Exceptions to The Statute of Limitations in FL
The law provides various circumstances that could pause or toll the clock after it has begun running or delay it to effectively extend the four-year deadline. Below are common situations that could potentially extend the typical four-year time limit for filing your truck accident case in FL:
- The liable party took certain steps to hide in the state or changed their identity to prevent you from serving them the documents required to initiate your truck accident lawsuit.
- The liable party left the state after the truck accident and before you could file your lawsuit.
- The injured individual had been deemed legally incapacitated at the time of the truck accident. Take note, however, that this exception only extends the statute of limitations to seven years.
Talk to a Skilled FL Truck Accident Lawyer Now
If you or a loved one has been hurt in a truck accident in Florida, reach out to Rosenthal, Levy, Simon & Sosa for legal advice. You can discuss your situation with our FL truck accident lawyer to better understand the filing deadline that may apply to your case and any possibilities to extend the statute of limitations. For instance, rules might differ if your claim involves a government entity, or you might need to bring a different type of claim before you can sue the liable party.
Please fill out our online contact form or call our office at 866-640-7117 to set up your free case evaluation with our FL truck accident lawyer today.