You’ve got three years to sue someone in Washington if they hurt you – that’s what the law says, plain and simple. Mark it on your calendar: 36 months from when it happened. After that, the courthouse door usually slams shut.
According to applicable state law, specific statutory provisions may toll or otherwise modify aforementioned temporal limitations, including but not limited to:
Look, sometimes you don’t realize you’re hurt right away. Your back may start acting up months after that fender-bender. The courts get it – they’ll usually start your clock when you first noticed something was wrong (or when you should have noticed if you were paying attention).
For claims involving minors: Legal time constraints shall be held in abeyance until the injured party attains the age of majority (18), whereupon the standard three-year limitation period shall commence.
Got beef with a government agency? It’s a different ballgame entirely. Better move fast – they usually want to hear about it within 60 days. You miss that window and might be out of luck before starting.
This stuff gets complicated quickly. Talk to a lawyer who knows their way around personal injury cases. They’ll tell you if you still have time to do something about it.
