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When filing a personal injury claim in Tennessee, individuals can not waste any time. While individuals don’t have to file a claim immediately, there is a statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim.
If you need to file a personal injury claim, contact the Johnson City attorneys at Meade Law Group. Our team is ready to help you during your time of need. Contact us right away for a free consultation.
Time Limits
According to Tennessee Code 28-3-104, an individual only has up to one year to file a personal injury claim. This includes if they were involved in a car accident, a slip-and-fall, or another personal injury claim. This also applies to whether the claim involved was an incident that was intentional or purely accidental.
The Discovery Rule
There are some injuries that may not be immediately noticeable after the initial incident. If an individual is found to have injuries well after the initial accident, then they can file a personal injury claim up to a year after the injuries were noticeable. This is known as The Discovery Rule.
Exceptions
There are several exceptions when it comes to the statute of limitations when filing a personal injury claim:
- If the victim was under the age of 18 at the time of the incident, they have up to a full year after reaching age 18 to file a claim (this is outlined in Tennessee Code 28-1-106).
- If the defendant (the person allegedly responsible for the other person’s injuries) does not live in the state of Tennessee or is not near the state after the initial incident but before the lawsuit is filed. (Tennessee Code 21-1-111).
- If there are criminal charges filed against the person accused of causing the injuries. If there are criminal charges involved, the deadline could be extended for up to two years (Tennessee Code 28-3-104(a)(2)).
If you have questions about filing a personal injury case, you need a team of attorneys who will fight for you. At Meade Law Group you can count on us to work hard to pursue the outcome you need and deserve. Contact our Johnson City attorneys at (423) 464-7779.