For this blog’s purpose, say that you were recently made the victim of an auto accident. Well, once you call on law enforcement to respond to the scene, an officer may ask if you wish for them to call an ambulance on your behalf. Your answer to this question must be a definitive “yes,” regardless of whether you feel pain or see visible wounds on your person. This is the first step in recording your injuries for your likely upcoming personal injury claim. Well, with this, please follow along to find out whether you can still sue for injuries and damages if you don’t report them right away and how a proficient Morris County, New Jersey auto accident lawyer at Macri Law Firm can help you bring forward a valid claim.
Can I still sue if I don’t report my personal injury right away?
While you may still hold the legal right to pursue a personal injury claim even if you don’t report your injuries right away, it may make your case unnecessarily difficult to prove. That is, you may just give the defense team ammunition to make any of the following arguments against you:
- The defendant may argue that your injuries are not even associated with the auto accident accident in question.
- The defendant may argue that your injuries are not even as severe as you claimed if you didn’t need immediate medical treatment.
- The defendant may argue that you would not have incurred as much damage if you sought immediate medical treatment for your injuries.
Can I still sue if the statute of limitations has expired?
The longer you wait to collect necessary medical evidence of your incurred injury, the more you may have to procrastinate bringing your personal injury claim forward. That said, in the state of New Jersey, the statute of limitations for such a claim is two years from the date of your accident event. Missing this deadline by even just one day may permanently bar you from recovering damages.
However, a possible exception to this is if your incurred injury is generally known to take longer to discover and diagnose. Examples of delayed-onset injuries common after auto accidents are brain trauma, spinal disc injuries, and soft tissue harm. So, with this, New Jersey civil law may allow the statute of limitations to be two years from the date your injury was discovered or should have reasonably been discovered.
In conclusion, before you take any further initiative with your lawsuit, we urge you to consult a talented Morris County, New Jersey auto accident lawyer. Most definitely, the team at Macri Law Firm is eager to work with you.
