Understanding How the Tennessee Personal Injury Statute of Limitations Applies to Your Case ⚖️🤕💵
Have you suffered injuries due to someone else's negligence? After a serious accident, you have the right to pursue compensation for any damages you have incurred. However, it is important to act quickly because the state's statute of limitations only gives you a short window of time to pursue legal action. We explain what to know about the Tennessee personal injury statute of limitations and how it may apply to your situation below.
What Is a Statute of Limitations?
A statute of limitations is a law that puts a time limit or deadline on how long you have to pursue legal action for a case. The actual time you have to file a lawsuit depends on the type of case and varies by state.
No matter your case, it is important to act quickly to protect your legal rights. If you fail to pursue legal action within the specified time frame, the court will likely dismiss your case. Unfortunately, you may lose your right to seek compensation for your damages, even if you have a strong case.
What Is the Personal Injury Statute of Limitations in Tennessee?
Tennessee has one of the shortest statute limitations for personal injury cases in the United States. Under Tennessee Code 28-3-104, the statute of limitations for personal injuries is typically only one year. For example, this deadline would apply to cases involving car accidents, truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, and slip and falls.
The clock starts ticking from the date of the injury or accident. Therefore, you have one year from the accident date to pursue legal action if you have suffered injuries due to someone else's negligence.
Are There Exceptions to the Tennessee Personal Injury Statute of Limitations?
While the one-year time limit generally applies to most personal injury cases, a few rare exceptions exist. These exceptions may toll or pause the statute of limitations for a period of time, extending your time to file a lawsuit.
Examples of exceptions that may apply to your case include, but are not limited to:
● The injury victim is a minor. If the injury victim is under 18, the statute of limitations will pause until they turn 18. Once the accident victim turns 18, they have one year to file a lawsuit.
● The injury victim is adjudicated incompetent. If the injured party is found legally incompetent or of unsound mind at the time of the accident, the statute of limitations may pause. It will start again once the accident victim is deemed competent by the court.
● The at-fault party is absent from Tennessee. The deadline may be extended if the liable party is absent from or resides outside Tennessee after the accident. This period of absence may not count toward the one-year time limit.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Cotter Law Today
Have you been hurt in a serious accident due to someone else's negligence or wrongdoing? Reach out to our experienced Tennessee personal injury attorney to discuss your situation. We can help you understand how the personal injury statute of limitations may affect your case.
At Cotter Law, we fight for accident victims to make sure they receive full and fair compensation for their injuries. Based in Knoxville, we represent individuals and their families all over Tennessee.
We provide a FREE virtual consultation to help you understand your best legal options while accommodating your schedule. Call Cotter Law at (865) 888-7155 or submit our online contact form below to schedule your free case evaluation.
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