It is an unfortunate fact of life that accidents happen. They can occur at any time, anywhere, to anyone. There are some cases in which an accident occurs due to a person’s own mistakes. Other times, they can be the result of another party’s negligence. When a person is injured due to the negligence of another person, they often want to hold that party liable for their behavior. This can be attained through a personal injury lawsuit.
Sometimes, people hesitate when pursuing a lawsuit after an accident happens. This can be out of a fear of causing further trouble or affording the legal fees associated with the process. However, it is important to know that personal injury attorneys are not usually paid out of the victim’s pocket. They are paid on a contingency basis. This means they only receive a payment if an award is recovered for the injured party. In addition to this, the payment is often taken out of the award.
Pennsylvania’s Statute of Limitations
It is important for a person injured in a personal injury accident to not wait too long to file a claim if they wish to do so. This is because there is a deadline known as the statute of limitations. A statute of limitations requires a person to file a claim to pursue a personal injury lawsuit within a certain amount of time. If they fail to do so, they give up their opportunity to hold a negligent party responsible for their actions. The state of Pennsylvania has a two-year statute of limitations from the date of the injury to file a claim for a personal injury lawsuit.
Notice of Claim Requirements
There are many cases in which a personal injury accident happens due to the negligence of another person. However, it is important to know that it can also happen due to the negligence of a government. This may be the case if a government property has unsafe conditions or a state-run transit administration vehicle is involved in an accident. In these situations, it is important for the victims to know that a different process exists to hold a government liable for their actions.
The state of Pennsylvania has the Sovereign Immunity Act. This releases the state’s immunity in the event of certain injury cases. Under this act, governments can be held liable for injuries that are caused due to their negligence. If an injured party wants to hold a negligent government liable, they are required to file a Notice of Claim. This gives notice to the government that an individual plans to bring a lawsuit against them. The statute of limitations on filing a Notice of Claim is six months from the date of the injury.
Contact our Firm
Attorney Newman has represented clients in Pennsylvania for over 45 years. If you need an experienced attorney to help guide you through the personal injury claims process or with any criminal defense matters, Attorney Newman is ready to help. Contact The Law Office of Neal E. Newman today to schedule a consultation.