Whether you are a victim of a traffic accident in Illinois, or just crashed your car, you’ll probably want to know if there are laws that protect you. There are several Illinois laws that draw guidelines to car accident cases, including lawsuit-filing deadlines and Illinois’ rules regarding shared fault for an accident.

The Illinois Car Accident Statute of Limitations

A “statute of limitations” is a law that defines the strict time limit on the right to file a lawsuit. Deadlines vary depending on the kind of physical harm a victim has incurred as well as the type of case being filed.

In most cases, the statute of limitations that affect car accident lawsuits in Illinois is the same as the larger one that applies to all personal injury cases filed in the state. Specifically, 735 Illinois Compiled Statutes section 5/13-202 says, “Actions for damages for an injury to the person…shall be commenced within two years next after the cause of action accrued.”

In Illinois, a wrongful death lawsuit must be filed within the time limit the state has set for the underlying cause, or within one year of the date of the deceased person’s death, whichever is later, according to 735 ILCS 5/13-209.

Finally, if your lawsuit is over vehicle damage only, Illinois gives you five years to get that kind of case filed in court.

Keep in mind that not every car accident leads to a lawsuit, but if you don’t think your situation will be resolved through the car insurance claim process, you should contact Quintana Law Group immediately.

For more information regarding your car accident case, contact Quintana Law Group or visit QUINTANALAWGROUP.COM