Personal Injury - I Think That I Might Have a Claim …. How Long Do I Have To Act?

Most people are probably vaguely aware that there is a time limit within which they can potentially sue somebody for personal injury but not so many people are aware what that limit is.
Limits such as these are known as "Limitation Periods". They are considered desirable as they provide some certainty for people who may be sued ('Potential Defendants'). After a certain period of time Potential Defendants can rest assured that they cannot be sued. Such Limitation Periods also have the advantage of avoiding decisions being made when material facts have been lost in the mists of time.
This area of law is currently under review with a radical overhaul on the horizon so it would, therefore, seem a good time to review the current position and the proposed reforms.
Probably the most talked about forms of claim recently have been those for personal injury. Apart from matrimonial matters this is probably the most commonly encountered contentious legal matter for the average person on the street. It is important to appreciate, therefore, that, in the majority of personal injury cases, legal proceedings must be commenced no later than 3 years after the date of the accident from which the injury arises. That is not to say, however, that you should simply wait until a week before the third anniversary of the accident and then think about contacting a solicitor. A vast amount of work needs to be undertaken prior to proceedings being issued in the Court and there are also set Court protocols that must be adhered to. Also, from a practical point of view, the longer one leaves it before consulting a solicitor then the harder it will be to recollect events and, therefore, evidence. Witnesses may disappear, documents may be lost, the possibilities are endless. It is therefore important to consult a solicitor quickly after any accident where you are not at fault.

For information on Personal injury advice Swindon look at the website for these Swindon Solicitors.