In order to ensure that personal injury lawsuits are brought in a timely manner when evidence is still fresh, every state, including Texas, has enacted a statute of limitations.
The statute of limitations places a limit on the amount of time in which the victim of an accident can bring a personal injury lawsuit. In Texas, the statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits is two years.
Many accident victims are unsure as to exactly when the statute of limitations begins to run. In most cases, the statute of limitations kicks in at the time the injury occurs. In the case of car accidents, for instance, the victim usually knows immediately about the injury.
The issue can sometimes be more complicated than that, however. For example, what if the victim was unaware of the injury?
In those cases, the statute of limitations begins to run when the victim knows about the injury or, through the exercise of reasonable diligence, should have known about the injury. This is known as the discovery rule, and it can apply in cases such as exposure to asbestos that leads to mesothelioma.
To make sure you protect your legal rights, contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. The personal injury lawyers of Fears | Nachawati can answer your questions about the Texas statute of limitations. To receive free legal advice, contact us by at info@fnlawfirm.com or call our toll-free number at 1.866.705.7584.