If you sustain an injury that is attributable to someone else negligence, you may file a civil lawsuit against the responsible party. However, you have a limited time to file your claim. This timeframe is known as the statute of limitations period.
Basically, the statute of limitations is the deadline for suing the defendant. With a few exceptions, you risk having your claim dismissed if you bring a lawsuit after the expiry of the statute of limitations period.
HOW THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS WORK IN MARYLAND
If you are a victim of someone else’s reckless actions in Maryland, and you intend to sue for damages, you will have up to three years from the date of your injury to file your lawsuit.
However, there are instances when the resulting injury or illness may develop over time. For instance, certain types of medical injuries may take time to be discovered. In those situations, the clock usually doesn’t start ticking on the statute of limitations until you either discover the injury or should have discovered it.
EXCEPTIONS TO THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS PERIOD
Other circumstances may dictate Maryland’s statute of limitations period. For instance, the statute of limitations period may be put on hold under the following circumstances:
- If you were a minor at the time of the accident
- If you lack the mental competence to pursue a claim
- If the defendant was out of state and thus unreachable
- If there are multiple defendants
The statute of limitations period differs if you are bringing a claim against a government agency or employees, and is considerably shorter. You need experienced legal guidance if that’s your situation.
Accidents happen all the time. However, if you are involved in an accident that is not your fault, you have the right to sue the liable party for damages.
