The Importance of Understanding the Statute of Limitations in Arizona
Mark Breyer
June 16, 2009
The statute of limitations dictates how much time someone has to file a lawsuit or settle a case when they´ve been injured in an accident. The amount of time someone has to hire a lawyer after they have suffered a serious injury depends very much on the particular case. For instance, in a typical auto accident in Arizona there is a two-year statute of limitations. All rights will be lost if:
Now, even the statute of limitations – the date by which the claim must be officially brought to court or settled – will vary. In some car accident cases, there is less than six months (180 days) from the time of the accident until the time the claim must filed with the right entity. Therefore, it can be important to consider getting a lawyer as soon as it is practical under the circumstances.
However, the question as to when to hire a lawyer is a little more complicated. Very few lawyers are going to be able to take the case on the same day that the statute of limitations is going to run. The reason for this is that a good attorney will want to provide the best possible service, which becomes almost impossible when a case is presented just before the statute of limitations has hit its deadline. It can also be more challenging than necessary, and you may not get the outcome you want or deserve, if further research indicates that an attorney has less time than was initially determined to complete your case because you waited too long to get your case investigated. You want an attorney who will help you get all the facts assembled and leave no stone unturned on behalf of your personal injury or wrongful death case. It is in your hands to find and contact the quality and effective legal counsel and representation that you need.
This does not suggest, as do some of the lawyers on television sometimes, that someone has to hire a lawyer "Now! Now! Now!" Instead, after these tragedies are suffered, there are a lot of things that must be dealt with. Obviously, health and welfare take precedence over hiring a lawyer. However, Arizona's statute of limitations unfortunately does not wait until a more convenient time for the people who have been hurt. Therefore, while it is difficult to give an exact date that a lawyer must be contacted, it is fair to say that sooner, rather than later, results in the best outcome. It is fair to state that as soon as the person who has been seriously injured can do so, they should consider contacting the best Arizona injury lawyer they can find to at least gather information.
And this is an important final point. Some people choose to wait to talk to a lawyer until they are ready to move forward with their case. This is just a mistake. Maybe there is no personal injury case, even though someone believes that there is. Maybe the right to recover in any particular case doesn't have to be pursued. Not every possible lawsuit needs to be filed; many should not be filed. However, the mistake is in waiting. Get in contact with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible so that you can attain informative and valuable answers to the questions that you have. In fact, you will probably get answers to the questions that you did not even know you should ask. Then, with all the information available, you can be in a better position to make the best possible decision you can when it is convenient.
At Breyer Law Offices, P.C., when somebody calls our office after a serious auto accident, we may tell them that they need to hire a top lawyer immediately or, in many cases, they have enough time to wait until they are ready to take the next step. It is of the utmost importance for you to make sure your rights are not lost and that the ability to recover is not squandered because of a failure to at least make a phone call and get the answers to the questions you need. Call us today at 602-978-6400 for a free consultation.
- a lawsuit is not filed in the Superior Court within two years after the date of the accident;
- the case has not been settled or a lawsuit has not been properly filed in the right place at the right time by the two-year mark;
- a lawsuit is not filed by the appropriate statute of limitations date even if the defendant who caused the car accident admits they are at fault.
Now, even the statute of limitations – the date by which the claim must be officially brought to court or settled – will vary. In some car accident cases, there is less than six months (180 days) from the time of the accident until the time the claim must filed with the right entity. Therefore, it can be important to consider getting a lawyer as soon as it is practical under the circumstances.
However, the question as to when to hire a lawyer is a little more complicated. Very few lawyers are going to be able to take the case on the same day that the statute of limitations is going to run. The reason for this is that a good attorney will want to provide the best possible service, which becomes almost impossible when a case is presented just before the statute of limitations has hit its deadline. It can also be more challenging than necessary, and you may not get the outcome you want or deserve, if further research indicates that an attorney has less time than was initially determined to complete your case because you waited too long to get your case investigated. You want an attorney who will help you get all the facts assembled and leave no stone unturned on behalf of your personal injury or wrongful death case. It is in your hands to find and contact the quality and effective legal counsel and representation that you need.
This does not suggest, as do some of the lawyers on television sometimes, that someone has to hire a lawyer "Now! Now! Now!" Instead, after these tragedies are suffered, there are a lot of things that must be dealt with. Obviously, health and welfare take precedence over hiring a lawyer. However, Arizona's statute of limitations unfortunately does not wait until a more convenient time for the people who have been hurt. Therefore, while it is difficult to give an exact date that a lawyer must be contacted, it is fair to say that sooner, rather than later, results in the best outcome. It is fair to state that as soon as the person who has been seriously injured can do so, they should consider contacting the best Arizona injury lawyer they can find to at least gather information.
And this is an important final point. Some people choose to wait to talk to a lawyer until they are ready to move forward with their case. This is just a mistake. Maybe there is no personal injury case, even though someone believes that there is. Maybe the right to recover in any particular case doesn't have to be pursued. Not every possible lawsuit needs to be filed; many should not be filed. However, the mistake is in waiting. Get in contact with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible so that you can attain informative and valuable answers to the questions that you have. In fact, you will probably get answers to the questions that you did not even know you should ask. Then, with all the information available, you can be in a better position to make the best possible decision you can when it is convenient.
At Breyer Law Offices, P.C., when somebody calls our office after a serious auto accident, we may tell them that they need to hire a top lawyer immediately or, in many cases, they have enough time to wait until they are ready to take the next step. It is of the utmost importance for you to make sure your rights are not lost and that the ability to recover is not squandered because of a failure to at least make a phone call and get the answers to the questions you need. Call us today at 602-978-6400 for a free consultation.
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