What is the Statute of Limitations on Filing a Personal Injury Claim in Pennsylvania?

It is an unfortunate reality of life that anyone, anywhere can be involved in an accident at any time. Sometimes, these accidents can be avoided with caution. Other times, they may be the result of negligence. When a person is injured at the expense of another party’s negligence, they often want to pursue legal action against them as justice for their suffering. This can be done through a personal injury lawsuit. 

However, some people may hesitate after an accident to follow through with following a claim. While this is understandable, it is crucial to not wait too long to file a personal injury claim. This is because there is a statute of limitations on doing so. During this time, it can be beneficial to retain the services of an experienced Pennsylvania personal injury attorney to assist your case.

What is the Statute of Limitations in Pennsylvania?

When a person is injured in an accident due to negligence, they often face significant physical, emotional, and financial burdens as a result. This can be difficult to afford, which is why victims often pursue compensation through legal action for these damages. Compensation may be recovered in the event of a successful personal injury lawsuit. 

In order to accomplish this, the first step is filing a personal injury claim. It is important that this is done within the time period given by state law, also known as the statute of limitations. A statute of limitations is a deadline that the injured party is required to meet in order to file a claim. If they fail to do so, they may give up their opportunity to pursue legal action entirely. In the state of Pennsylvania, the statute of limitations is two years from the date of the injury to file a claim. 

What is a Notice of Claim?

It is important to know that when a person is injured at the expense of a municipality’s negligence, there are different steps that must be taken in order to hold them liable. The Sovereign Immunity Act releases the state of Pennsylvania from their immunity from liability in certain injury cases. Under this act, residents of the state are able to hold municipalities responsible for accidents and injuries that they cause.

When facing these situations, the injured party is required to file a Notice of Claim if they wish to pursue legal action. This gives notification to the municipality that the party wishes to bring a lawsuit against them. In the state of Pennsylvania, injured parties are given six months from the date of their injury to file a written Notice of Claim. 

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Friedman Schuman is an experienced and dedicated legal resource for clients throughout Pennsylvania. We proudly serve clients facing a wide range of legal matters. If you require the services of an effective attorney, please contact Friedman Schuman today to schedule a consultation.

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