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A Matter of Time |
By
David Day
Those who wish to bring suit in civil court must do so within a certain time
period, known as the statute of limitations. Generally ranging from one to
six years, statutes of limitations are designed to eliminate outdated cases
from the court schedule and relieve defendants of their worries of being sued
far in the future. For their part, plaintiffs should use their knowledge of
statutes of limitations as spurs to action. Victims of civil wrongs should
make themselves well aware of their rights as soon as possible. In some
cases, plaintiffs may have less time to initiate legal action than they may
think. A compelling legal issue in this respect may center around whether the
statues of limitation "clock" begins ticking at the time of the
injury or at the plaintiff's first awareness of it.
In my experience, the best way to avoid any concerns with the statutes of
limitations is to act promptly in protecting your rights. Generally, if you
are injured in an accident, you know immediately. Similarly, if you are the
victim of a breached contract, you generally know it.
Don't sit around and wait for something to happen. If you do, you may wait to
long, and then you cannot exercise your legal rights. |
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