Personal injury is the area of law that addresses accidents and injuries where another party is partially or entirely to blame. Under Pennsylvania’s personal injury law, you can seek compensation from the responsible party — which may be a person, company or government agency — if their negligent, careless, reckless or intentional behavior resulted in your injuries. A Philadelphia personal injury lawyer can review the circumstances that led to your injury and help determine if you have grounds for a lawsuit.
Types of Pennsylvania Personal Injury Cases
Personal injury is a broad area of the law that encompasses many types of accidents and incidents that can cause serious — even fatal — injuries. These include:
- Asbestos-related diseases
- Automobile accidents
- Birth injuries
- Boating accidents
- Construction accidents
- Defective and dangerous products (also known as products liability)
- Dog bites
- Medical malpractice
- Motorcycle accidents
- Nursing home abuse and neglect
- Plane accidents
- Slip and fall accidents (also known as premises liability)
- Train accidents
- Trucking accidents
- Work accidents
Time Limit to File a Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawsuit
Every state imposes a time limit — known as the statute of limitations — to file a personal injury lawsuit against the party responsible for your injuries.
In Pennsylvania, the statute of limitations on personal injury lawsuits is two years from the date of your accident or injury. In some instances, this deadline may be extended beyond two years; your Philadelphia personal injury attorney can advise you whether this is the case in your situation. However, you should assume that you have two years — and not a day more — to file your lawsuit. If you wait too long, you will be barred from receiving any compensation for your injuries.
Because lawsuits take time to prepare, you should hire a Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after being in an accident or diagnosed with an injury. Before filing a claim, your lawyer will research the facts of your case, try to determine whether others have been injured in a similar manner, and attempt to negotiate an out-of-court settlement with the party responsible for your accident. If a mutually agreeable settlement can’t be reached, then your lawyer will file a claim in Pennsylvania state civil court.
It is important to note that the statute of limitations is only the deadline to file a lawsuit. You will still be able to receive compensation for your injuries if the trial extends beyond the two year deadline.
