How Long do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Truck Accident In Lake Charles?

Many people ask, “How long do I have to file a lawsuit after a truck accident in Lake Charles?” out of financial necessity. These claims usually come with a bunch of unexpected expenses and long stays in the hospital, preventing the victim from working. If this deadline is missed, the victim might be unable to recover much-needed compensation for their case.

Louisiana’s Deadline for Truck Accident Claims

Louisiana law is quite limited for people wanting to file a claim after a truck accident. For most people, the statute of limitations, or time limit for these types of cases, is two years from the date the accident happened. This applies to most claims, regardless of who the actual defendants are.

Since truck accidents are serious with intense damages, acting fast is important to address urgent medical costs. Insurance companies are experienced in the law and personal injury claims. They know that if they intentionally delay processing your claim, the deadline might pass before you are able to receive compensation.

There are some cases that involve additional deadlines, potential caps, or limits to the amount of compensation you can receive. If a government vehicle caused the crash, the time to file and the amount you might receive could be much shorter. They could also involve stricter requirements for filing a claim, and might be able to automatically deny claims that are filed incorrectly.

Filing on Time Matters

The deadlines in truck accident claims are not just suggestions. Once it passes, you usually cannot seek any form of compensation, even if you have serious injuries. For the 9.4% of Lake Charles residents without health insurance, they might be on the hook for all of their medical bills that came out of the accident.

Deadlines are not the only reason to act fast to file a claim. Evidence can disappear quickly, and any witnesses who saw the accident might forget the details of the case. Some trucking companies might alter their logs or repair their vehicles before capturing evidence of the damage.

Why Do I Need an Attorney?

It takes more than meeting a deadline to file a truck accident claim. These are serious claims that require a lot of evidence to get off the ground. An attorney can help with your claim by:

• Tracking deadlines. If someone is recovering from their injuries, it is likely that managing deadlines is not something at the top of their mind, especially if they fall into the 11.5% of Lake Charles residents who have a disability and are under 65. An attorney can keep track of the statute of limitations to prevent the claim from being filed too late.
• Gathering evidence. The more evidence that is included in a claim, the more likely it is to recover more compensation. A lawyer can collect this evidence in a quick time frame to prevent it from disappearing or being lost to time.
• Negotiating with insurance companies. Insurance companies are not your friends. They often try to delay or deny claims, even if they are completely valid. An attorney can stand up for your case to prevent lowball offers. If your claim is denied, they can help start the appeals process.
• Handling legal procedures. Most truck accident claims include large amounts of paperwork and processes. For many Lake Charles residents, these complicated issues can be intense and time-consuming. If a lawyer helps file the claim, it is more likely to be correct and not contain any errors that could get your claim denied.

If time is running out, an attorney can act fast to protect your legal options, even if negotiations are still happening behind the scenes.

FAQs

Q: How Long After a Truck Accident Can You Sue in Lake Charles?

A: How long after a truck accident you have to sue in Lake Charles is usually two years from the date of the accident. This deadline applies to personal injury claims. Wrongful death claims filed on behalf of the victim have an even shorter deadline of one year after the date the victim died. Property damage claims also use the two-year time limit.

Q: Are There Extensions for the Truck Accident Settlement Deadline in Lake Charles?

A: There are some extensions for the truck accident settlement deadline in Lake Charles, but they are few and far between. If the injured person was a minor or disabled at the time of the accident, it might be possible to extend the deadline. This can also apply if the injured driver leaves the state during this time period. Conversely, if the accident involves a government body, the timeline might be reduced.

Q: When Does the Timer Start for Truck Accident Claims in Lake Charles?

A: The timer starts on the date of the accident for truck accident claims in Lake Charles. Most of the time, the injuries and damages from a truck accident are discovered on the date of the accident. If the injuries go unnoticed at first and are not discovered until later, the clock might instead start on the date they were discovered. Wrongful death starts when the victim dies, which could be a different date from when the accident happened.

Q: Are There Different Time Limits for Injury and Property Damage Claims?

A: There are no different time limits for injury and property damage claims. They are treated the same in Louisiana courts and both are given two years for a claim to be filed. This deadline has been recently extended, but it is still reasonably short. This means that it is important to act quickly and gather as much evidence as possible in a short time frame in order to file a claim that has a good chance of compensation.

Seize Your Opportunity for Damages

Truck accidents often result in large amounts of damage and injuries. This makes insurance companies even more willing to use every excuse they can to deny paying large sums of money to victims. Missing the statute of limitations can end a truck accident case before it starts. Schedule a consultation with The Roach Law Firm to make sure your claim is filed on time according to Louisiana law.