What is meant by the term “Statute of Limitations” and what is the time period for personal injury actions?
It is a time period established by the state law, during which your suit must begin. Generally, the time frame is measured from the date of the accident. Courts demand strict compliance with the Statute of Limitations, thus, failure to bring your timely action normally results in the loss of your case. In New York State, most personal injury cases have a three year Statute of Limitations, calculated from the date of the accident. However, there are specialized cases with shorter time frames (i.e. medical malpractice – two and a half years; and wrongful death – two years.
