Founding Partner
Bicyclists are more vulnerable than drivers while on the road. Due to a relative lack of protection, bicyclists often suffer devastating injuries after colliding with cars, trucks, and other vehicles. For example, bicyclists involved in accidents often suffer spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, bone fractures, neck injuries, and other potentially life-changing conditions. Due to the seriousness of bicycle injuries, it’s imperative to take legal action as soon as possible following an accident. Waiting too long can affect your ability to obtain compensation for your injuries. In this article, we discuss how long you have to file a bicycle claim in North Carolina.
North Carolina’s Statute of Limitations
The deadline to file a personal injury lawsuit is informally known as the statute of limitations. Most states establish such deadlines for different types of lawsuits. In North Carolina, a victim of a bicycle accident has three years from the date the accident occured to file a bicycle accident claim. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. A bicycle accident injury victim may also file a lawsuit within three years of the date that he or she discovered the injury. In other words, if a bicycle accident victim doesn’t realize that he or she is injured until sometime after the initial accident, then the date of such discovery begins the filing countdown. When this exception applies, personal injury victims have up to 10 years after the accident to file a legal claim. There are additional exceptions if the injured bicyclist is a minor.
The Benefits of Contacting an Attorney Immediately
Although three years may seem like a long time to file a lawsuit, it can go by quickly—especially when dealing with issues like surgery, hospital visits, therapy, and pain management. In other words, you can lose your chance to file a legal claim before you know it. Rather than inadvertently missing your window of opportunity to file a personal injury lawsuit, it is advisable to contact an attorney as soon as possible after your accident. By contacting an attorney immediately, you increase your odds of a successful outcome and guarantee that you won’t miss the filing deadline.
In addition, your attorney will immediately begin the process of gathering evidence, which tends to dissipate the longer you wait to file your lawsuit. And the less evidence you obtain, the worse your odds are of obtaining fair compensation for your injuries. Common evidence in bicycle accident cases includes witness statements, video and photographic evidence, and medical records—all of which can be difficult to obtain in the aftermath of a serious accident. Therefore, if you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced bicycle accident attorney as soon as possible.
Contact a Charlotte Bicycle Accident Attorney
If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident in North Carolina, you need an experienced North Carolina bicycle accident attorney in your corner. At Bradford Law, our experienced bicycle accident attorneys are dedicated to seeking financial compensation on your behalf. Please contact us as soon as possible to schedule an initial consultation with an experienced bicycle accident attorney.
