While you might have heard the term before, many people are confused about what a statute of limitations means to them. Each state as well as federal agencies place different statutes of limitations on various offenses. These refer to the specific period of time that a person has in which to pursue a legal action. If you wait too long after an incident to pursue legal action, you might be forever barred from receiving compensation for your losses. For this reason, if you are interested in pursuing any type of personal injury lawsuit in Ohio, you should not hesitate.
Ohio’s Statute of Limitations
The law in Ohio grants most lawsuits involving bodily injury, personal property damage, or product liability a two-year window from the cause of action in which to initiate a legal action. In this context, cause of action refers to the event that led to the injury, or the time at which you discovered the injury. Sometimes the date of the cause of action is not readily apparent because a person might not be immediately aware that he or she was injured. Some of the most common examples of this include exposure to hazardous substances like asbestos and some types of medical malpractice. In these situations, the cause of action is considered to be when you are informed by a medical professional about your condition or when you should reasonably know that you were harmed due to exposure.
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What it Means to Toll the Statute of Limitations
In some situations, it is possible to delay the start of the statute limitations time window, which is referred to as tolling. Ohio law permits the tolling of statute of limitations if you are a minor or declared to be mentally incompetent by a court of law. In situations in which a person is a minor, the statute of limitations window will commence at the time that the minor turns 18. When a person is declared mentally incompetent, the statute of limitations window will begin when he or she is declared to be mentally fit. Other laws in Ohio allow tolling when the person against whom you are pursuing legal action has either fled the area, is in hiding, or is out of the state. In these situations, the statute of limitations window will not commence until a person is located or returns to the area.
Speak with a Personal Injury Attorney Today
If you were injured in a car accident or another type of incident caused by someone else’s negligence, it’s important to act quickly. In most cases, Ohio law gives you two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim. Missing this deadline could permanently bar you from recovering compensation.
However, certain cases can involve more complex timelines. Factors such as the type of claim, the parties involved, or when an injury was discovered can affect how long you have to take legal action. Determining the correct deadline is critical to protecting your rights.
Don’t risk losing your opportunity to pursue compensation. Contact a personal injury attorney at Kruger & Hodges today so we can review your case, explain your options, and take the necessary steps to safeguard your claim.
Call or text 513-894-3333 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form