Statute of Limitations for Filing a Personal Injury Claim

Posted On June 15, 2017 by Murphy Law Group in Personal Injury

Personal injury cases are constantly dismissed in court when a victim is uninformed of the time constraints for filing his or her case. There are many ways in which attorneys can assist those who have been harmed to receive compensation for their injuries. However it is the job of the injured to be active in seeking a lawyer to file a complaint.

If you have suffered bodily harm from an injury or accident, and someone else might be personally responsible for the harm done to you, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible. Such accidents can include anything from motor vehicles, tripping/falling, work-related or assault claims. However in order to avoid dismissal, you must file suit in a timely manner. The deadline to file suit is known as a “statute of limitations.”  With certain exceptions, the statute of limitations on personal injury cases in Massachusetts is three (3) years.

Mass. Gen. Laws. chapter 260 §2A, states except as otherwise provided, actions of tort, actions of contract to recover for personal injuries, and actions of replevin, shall be commenced within three years  next after the cause action accrues.

For most cases, the three-year limit time begins on the date of the accident. In some exceptional cases, if you suffered an injury that could not be detected until some time after the accident then the three-year limit time may not begin until this discovery time. For injury claims against a city, county, or state government agency you have two years under Massachusetts law to file a formal presentment of a claim, and three years to file a lawsuit.

The Murphy Law Group has successfully handled a wide range of personal injury cases. If you or someone you love has been injured, the Murphy Law Group can help you get through these difficult times.