If you were injured due to someone else’s negligence in Florida, it is essential that you get in contact with a Florida personal injury attorney as soon as possible to discuss your case and start the process of negotiations and – if necessary – lawsuit preparation. Starting the process quickly improves your chance of success, which is a powerful benefit. However, you are also required to begin any legal action within two years of the incident, according to the newest Florida statutes. This article will discuss the statute of limitations for personal injuries in Florida and the recent updates to state laws that may affect your future personal injury case.

Did You Know? In 2023, the statute for filing a negligence claim was shortened significantly, reduced to 2 years from 4 years.

Statute of Limitations and Why They Exist

If you suffer a personal injury due to negligence, the statute of limitations determines how long you have available to you the right to bring a lawsuit against someone else before it is forfeited forever. The most recent updates to Florida personal injury law reduced this timeframe to two years from the date of an injury. While this limit applies to most personal injury cases, there may be a few circumstances where claims outside this timeframe are considered. A personal injury attorney will discuss with you in an initial consultation which specific laws and statutes apply to your particular situation.

It may seem arbitrary, but a statute of limitations has a few important reasons for existing. Most importantly, it ensures that decade-old legal claims – where evidence, witnesses, and solid information might be impossible to find – are not constantly litigated in court. Additionally, it allows courts to effectively manage their workload without worrying about a huge influx of old cases.

Why Avoiding Delay Is Essential

Just because the statute of limitations provides some protections and benefits doesn’t mean they help everyone equally. Even under the old Florida statutes, many people who suffered personal injuries and subsequently faced life hardships missed out on their opportunity to receive just compensation for their injuries if they waited too long to sue.

If you ever have a potential personal injury case, you should not delay. Contact a local, experienced personal injury attorney with experience taking cases all the way to trial. The last thing an injured person wants to deal with is insurance negotiations and complex legal issues, so an attorney who works on your behalf can help take all of that weight off your shoulders. Starting the process early ensures that:

The Deadline is Met – With the new shorter timeframe, there is now more urgency than ever to start the process early to ensure you can make a claim and begin the lawsuit process if needed.
Evidence and Witnesses Are Available – A personal injury case will often rely on expert testimony, witnesses, physical evidence, and many more things that are much easier to collect and verify when an injury is recent. If you wait until the deadline is close, the quality of evidence your attorney can collect will also suffer.
Negotiations Naturally Play Out – Most personal injury cases will not end up in court, but the deadline to file a lawsuit is always fast approaching. By contacting an attorney early, negotiations with the other party can reach their natural conclusion without the looming fear of the statute of limitations, allowing your attorney to negotiate a potential settlement that saves the trouble and expense of going to court.

If you have experienced physical pain and financial hardship due to an injury caused by someone else’s negligence, contact Hale Law today. We will discuss your situation in a free consultation and, if you sign up with us, work vigorously to help you receive compensation to get your life back on track.

Sarasota - Main Office