If you were recently injured in a car crash caused by someone else, it is understandable if you are unsure what steps to take next to protect your financial and personal interests. Unfortunately, Arizona state law may force you to act more quickly than you would prefer. Waiting too long to file a claim can prevent you from ever receiving compensation from the person who caused your injuries.
The Mesa car accident statute of limitations sets different deadlines depending on the case. Depending on your situation, you may have more time to take legal action than someone injured under different circumstances. In any case, to build the strongest possible claim in the shortest amount of time, you will need support from an experienced car accident attorney, such as those at Phillips Law Group.
The vast majority of auto accident claims are subject to the same statute of limitations as most other personal injury lawsuits, which is codified in Arizona Revised Statutes §12-542. According to this section of state law, people who suffer injuries through the negligence of others have a maximum of two years to file suit against the person or people responsible for harming them, generally starting from the date on which their injury first occurred.
Notably, if a car crash in Mesa results in a fatal injury, the same time limit still applies, so the filing period remains two years. In a wrongful death case, the two-year period begins on the date of the deceased person’s death instead of the date of the crash.
A change in the filing deadline—such as in a wrongful death case—is just one example of when the courts may extend the statute of limitations. For example, under what is known as the Discovery Rule, someone who does not discover—and, crucially, could not reasonably have discovered—they were injured through another person’s negligence until some time after the injury first occurred may have the two-year filing period begin on the date they discovered their injury.
Likewise, if someone under the age of 18 gets hurt in an auto accident in Mesa caused by a third party’s misconduct, the two-year filing period set by the statute of limitations would not begin for that individual until their 18th birthday. If a parent or guardian files suit on behalf of the injured minor, the standard filing period would begin on the date of the initial accident or the date they discovered the injury.
No two auto accident claims are exactly alike, just as no two people injured in an auto accident will experience the same losses requiring civil restitution. Still, your right to file suit and demand restitution has a time limit, and knowing what time constraints apply to you will be vital to enforcing your rights.
A qualified auto accident attorney can answer your questions and offer personalized guidance about building a strong civil claim within the applicable Mesa car accident statute of limitations. Call Phillips Law Group today for your free, no-obligation consultation.
(602) 222-2222 
