By Dan Noll on May 13th, 2022 in
What is the Illinois Statute of Limitations for a Car Accident Injury Claim? If you have been involved in a car accident caused by the negligence of another, you may wonder how long you have to file a claim for damages. One of the reasons statutes of limitations are put into place is to limit the amount of time an injured person has to file a claim. Having an “end date,” prevents the responsible party from having the threat of a lawsuit hanging over them forever.
As time passes, witnesses move, and memories fade, so there is every reason for states to ensure a car accident injury claim will not drag on longer than necessary. Each state sets its own statute of limitations—and the statutes may be different for personal injury claims, medical malpractice claims, and wrongful death claims. These statutes range from one year to more than ten, depending on the facts and circumstances of the case and where the accident occurred.
So, what is the Illinois statute of limitations for a car accident injury claim? In the State of Illinois, the statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is two years from the date the injury occurs. With few exceptions, once this two-year period has passed you have lost your window of opportunity to collect damages from the liable party. While there are some exceptions, having a knowledgeable car accident lawyer from Noll Law Office by your side will ensure deadlines like this are never missed. They work incredibly hard to provide representation in your best interests.
What is the First Step if I Were Injured in an Auto Accident?
The first thing you must always do following an auto accident is to receive medical treatment for your injuries. Often, a person involved in an accident may believe they are “fine.” But in actuality, adrenaline floods the body during an accident. This adrenaline rush can often mask symptoms of serious injuries. Days later, you may realize you are actually in some pain. Insurance companies are always waiting for an opportunity to deny a claim—and this is a good one.
The insurance company may say that if you had been very badly hurt, you would have immediately gone to the emergency room—yet you didn’t. While that assessment might not be the least bit valid, it is a good reason to be checked out by a doctor following an auto accident.
If you are medically able at the scene of the accident, it is also a good idea to:
- Take pictures of the scene of the accident with your cell phone.
- If there are witnesses, obtain contact information from them.
- Once home, contact your own insurance company to let them know about the car accident, offering only the basic details. If it should turn out that the at-fault party was uninsured at the time of the accident you could be forced to file with your own insurance company (if you carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage). Because of this, you should never admit fault even if you think you might have been partially to blame.
- Take the time to jot down every detail you can remember regarding the accident—even the smallest detail could turn out to be a significant help for your personal injury attorney.
- Contact an experienced Springfield personal injury attorney from the Noll Law Office. Once you are represented by the Noll Law Office, you can focus your time and energy on healing from your injuries while your attorney handles the legalities.
How Can Noll Law Office Help Me Following My Springfield Car Accident?
Being involved in a car accident in Springfield, Illinois can be an overwhelming experience. One moment you are driving home from work contemplating your weekend plans and the next you are injured—perhaps severely—unsure of where to turn. The attorneys at the Noll Law Office understand your situation and are ready to help you through this difficult time.
Their goal is to provide a positive experience and a positive outcome for you and your family following your car accident. They provide aggressive advocacy for those in their community. They are both highly successful negotiators as well as tenacious litigators. Their track record of success speaks for itself. They take pride in the level of open, honest communication they provide for every client. Contact Noll Law Office today for compassionate, highly experienced representation.