If you get hurt in Alaska, one thing to remember is there is a time limit to filing a claim for your injuries. Like most states, Alaska has a statute of limitations.
What is a statute of limitations?
A statute of limitations sets a time frame for a law suit to be filed. For instance, if you were injured on July 1, you have two years from that date to file a lawsuit against the responsible party. Minor children however have two years from their 18th birthday to file a claim for their injuries.
What happens if you don’t file a lawsuit in time?
In some cases, if you do not file in time, you will not be able to file a claim at all. However, there are exceptions. For example, if you are hurt during a medical procedure and didn’t know you suffered an injury until you had complications years later, the statute of limitations begins the day you discovered you were suffering complications. In some situations, that could be years after the injury.
In a motor vehicle accident, this kind of situation is less likely. It is more likely you will know exactly when you were injured. In that case, you’ll want to talk to your attorney to file a claim against the other party’s insurance. If there is no insurance to claim against, then you may be able to seek compensation from your own insurance or sue the individual who hurt you. If you’re not certain what to do, then your attorney can walk you through the options.
Contact Merdes Law Office, P.C. to meet with our highly experienced Alaskan personal injury attorney to discuss your case: 907.452.5400 or visit www.merdes.com. And while we hope you never need us… We’re here if you do.
Source: FindLaw, “Alaska Civil Statute of Limitations Laws“
