If you or a loved one sustain an injury or property damage in a vehicle accident caused by another driver in Georgia, then you should be able to recover compensation for your losses. However, it is crucial for you to report the crash to insurance carriers on time and that you file any necessary personal injury lawsuit within the statute of limitations set forth by Georgia law. Here, we want to discuss these various deadlines that you need to be aware of in order to ensure that you recover full compensation for your losses.
What is the Personal Injury Statute of Limitations in Georgia?
Every state sets timelines for how long individuals have to file lawsuits against alleged negligent parties after an incident causes an injury. This time frame is called the personal injury statute of limitations. In Georgia, this statute of limitations is two years from the date an injury occurs (Georgia Code section 9-3-33).
This means that car accident victims have a two-year window with which to file a lawsuit against the alleged negligent driver. Failing to file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court within this required time frame will result in the case being dismissed and the victim becoming unable to recover the compensation they would otherwise be entitled to.
However, it is crucial to point out that insurance carriers have very strict reporting deadlines, and these deadlines come long before this two-year timeframe. Most insurance carriers require that an accident be reported within a day or two after the incident occurs, or the claim could be delayed or denied.
What is the Property Damage Statute of Limitations in Georgia?
The personal injury statute of limitations is not the only thing that vehicle accident victims need to be aware of. If there is any vehicle damage caused by the accident, then there will inevitably be property damage expenses that must be contended with. Typically, the insurance carrier of the at-fault driver will be responsible for covering property damage expenses, but there may be times when a crash victim has to file a property damage lawsuit in civil court against the at-fault driver.
The Georgia property damage statute of limitations for vehicle accidents is four years from the date an accident occurs (Georgia Code section 9-3-31). Failing to file a property damage lawsuit within this four-year timeframe means that the crash victim will not be able to recover compensation for property damage expenses.
Why Work With an Attorney After a Car Accident?
If you or somebody you care about has sustained an injury or property damage caused by the actions of another driver in Georgia, you need to work with an attorney as soon as possible. A skilled vehicle accident lawyer can handle every aspect of your claim, including all communication with the other driver and insurance carriers involved. Ultimately, an attorney will make sure that your claim is filed on time, both according to the insurance carrier deadlines as well as the Georgia personal injury and property damage statute of limitations.