Under Louisiana law, a person suffering from an injury has one year from the date that the injury was sustained to file a lawsuit against the person and/or entity responsible for causing the injury. However, that does not mean that anyone should wait to take action to protect themselves and their rights. Being proactive about seeking medical treatment, establishing insurance claims, and retaining counsel will help the entire process run more smoothly. Therefore, the question should not be “how long do I have to take action,” but rather “how can I move forward today”.
Waiting to take action in a personal injury situation can cause problems in any number of ways. For example, when an insurance company or ultimately a court learns that you waited to take action, they could assume that your injuries and damages may not be as bad as they really are. Also, while waiting to take action you could be involved in another incident causing further injury which could make it more difficult to show that the original incident actually caused the injury from which you are suffering.
One of the best steps that an individual can take when handling a personal injury action is to seek legal advice as to what rights he/she has, the extent of those rights, and how to exercise those rights. Many law firms – including Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers – are more than happy to try to answer any preliminary questions that you may have pertaining to your personal situation. But do keep in mind that definite and concrete answers are very difficult if not impossible to come by early on in a personal injury situation, and that nothing you learn before agreeing to be represented by a licensed attorney should be construed as legal advice.