A car accident can happen in a split-second, but for those injured in them the aftereffects of the crash could last a lifetime. When a person is injured in a motor vehicle accident, they may incur hefty medical and rehabilitation bills. They may be unable to work for a period, resulting in lost wages. A car accident victim may also experience pain and suffering, along with emotional trauma. It is a lot to deal with, especially if the collision was the fault of another.
Car accident victims who believe the crash was due to the negligence of another party may wish to pursue a legal claim against the at-fault party. However, they should not wait too long to commence such an action. This is because Georgia has a “statute of limitations” on personal injury claims. Once that time period has passed, a person can no longer pursue a legal claim.
Under Georgia Code §9-3-33, the statute of limitations for injury to the person is two years after the right of action accrues. This means that the “clock” starts ticking once the claim has accrued, specifically, when the injury is discovered. However, if the accident victim is suing for loss of consortium, then they have four years after the right of action accrues to pursue their claim.
Of course, car accident claims can be very complex, and this is only a brief overview of the statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits in Georgia. In the end, a legal filing should not be based on the information found in this post. Instead, those wishing to pursue a lawsuit following a car crash in Georgia will want to seek the professional guidance they need to understand how to proceed.
