We are often asked "How long do I have to make an accident or personal injury claim?" Like the vast majority of claims, a personal injury claim needs to be issued within 3 years of the date you suffered the injury or the date you realised that your injury was the result of someone else’s negligence. Exceptions do apply to this ‘three-year rule’:-
- If the injured party is a child, a claim can be issued on their behalf at any time up until they turn 18 years old
- If you suffered an injury as a child, you have until you turn 21 years old to make a claim
- For those who lack the requisite mental capacity to make a claim themselves, there is no time limit applied and a claim can be made on their behalf at any time.
- If a loved one has died from their injury, you can bring a claim on their behalf within 3 years of their date of death.
As the ability to claim is time-limited, it is always advisable that you seek specialist legal advice at the earliest opportunity to ensure that the appropriate steps can be taken to progress your claim within the relevant time period and to avoid you losing any right to claim through inaction.