How Long Do You Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in Jersey City
If you have suffered injuries in Jersey City due to someone else's negligence, you have a limited time to file a personal injury claim or lawsuit. Most of the time, injured victims do not know the difference between an insurance claim and a personal injury lawsuit, ending up using both terms interchangeably.
While it is possible to settle an injury claim without a lawyer, hiring an experienced attorney to represent you can significantly enhance your chances of securing a favorable outcome.
Insurance Claims
An insurance claim arises when somebody else’s negligence results in your injuries, and an insurance company undertakes to make good your damages. Injured victims have to complete fewer legal and procedural formalities to initiate an insurance claim. The majority of personal injury cases settle without the injured victims having to file a personal injury lawsuit.
Injured victims must contact their insurers to notify them of the accident, or an experienced personal injury lawyer can handle this task. A personal injury lawyer at Omni Injury & Accident Law can also guide and assist them in investigating the facts of their accident and collecting relevant evidence to support their case. If you have suffered a personal injury in an automobile accident in Jersey City, New Jersey's no-fault insurance rules require you to file an insurance claim with your insurer to recover compensation for your medical treatment, lost income, and other damages.
If your injuries are severe and your medical bills and other damages are more or less likely to exceed insurance coverage limits, you can step out of the no-fault insurance system and file a lawsuit against the at-fault party to recover damages. Victims of slip-and-fall accidents, defective product mishaps, and motorcycle accidents in New Jersey can file a claim with the at-fault party’s insurer.
Personal Injury Lawsuit
If your insurance company denies your claim, delays payment, or offers an amount far less than your damages, your lawyer can file a lawsuit on your behalf. Injured victims must adhere to strict procedures when filing a personal injury lawsuit in New Jersey. Your lawyer will file a written complaint along with thorough evidence. The key processes in a personal injury lawsuit proceeding include discovery, depositions, filing of motions, mediation, and trial.
A typical lawsuit can take six months to two years to reach a verdict. Lawsuits are an expensive and time-consuming proposition. Victims should consider a lawsuit only after exhausting all other avenues for a favorable conclusion to their case.
How Long Do You Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Jersey City?
Time is of the essence when you suffer an injury due to someone’s negligence in Jersey City. You do not have all the time in the world to assemble evidence and consider legal options. The Statute of limitations sets the maximum time after an accident within which an injury victim may initiate legal proceedings. The purpose of these Statutes is to ensure that a plaintiff (injured victim) with a valid cause of action pursues it with reasonable diligence.
The New Jersey Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury is two years after the date of the accident. Jersey City accident victims have two years from the accident date or the date of discovery of their injuries to initiate a civil lawsuit. The purpose of the statute of limitations is to encourage injured victims to bring their claims to court as quickly as possible. This helps the legal system to function more efficiently and prevents the overburdened system from being clogged with undecided cases.
Contact A Personal Injury Attorney in Jersey City
A seasoned personal injury lawyer will work tirelessly to uphold your best interests, advise you on whether or not to take certain specific actions, and protect your right to adequate compensation. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries and damages due to someone else’s negligence or carelessness in Jersey City, a personal injury lawyer with years of experience and a thorough understanding of New Jersey personal injury laws can help you secure maximum compensation through a verdict or a settlement. Contact a Jersey City personal injury attorney to schedule a free case assessment.