The construction industry is one of the most dangerous ones to work at. At least one person is injured at the construction every day, whether it be a minor or major injury. While minor injuries like cuts and bruises do not get much attention, major ones like broken bones, severe burns, etc., can require medical intervention and weeks or months of recovery.
If you are a construction worker and you were injured at the work site due to your employer’s negligence, you may have a case. For construction accident help, you can seek a personal injury attorney who specializes in construction worker injuries. Meanwhile, here is the statute of limitations for a construction accident case in New York.
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New York Statute Of Limitations For Construction Accident Cases
The statute of limitations for construction site accident cases in NY is three years from the date of the accident. This means that you have three years of time to file a claim, and if you miss the deadline, you will not be able to recover damages. In case the accident results in someone’s death, the eligible surviving family members of the deceased have two years to file a wrongful death claim.
However, there is an exception when a government entity is involved. If you worked for the government or your injuries were caused due to the fault of a government agency or entity, you must file a claim within 90 days of your accident and a lawsuit within one year and 90 days of the accident. Failure to abide by these rules and deadlines can result in dismissal of your case.
Why you should file as early as possible
When most people find out that the statute of limitations is three years, they think they have a lot of time on their hands. However, legal cases can take a lot of time to process. If you hire an attorney, they will need time to study your case, find evidence to support and build a strong claim, and do other legal activities. Three years can actually fall short at times.
Even if you have years to file a claim, it is best to file as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more evidence could be lost or destroyed. This could weaken your case, lowering your chances of winning and increasing the amount of time it takes for you to receive the compensation.
Dealing with a construction accident attorney can be time-consuming but rewarding. Hire one today.
