If you or a loved one is injured in a car accident in Orlando, you may need to file a personal injury lawsuit against the person or business legally at fault for your injuries. Every state has what is called a statute of limitations, which is a law setting deadlines for the amount of time a person has to file a lawsuit.

Florida’s statute of limitations for personal injury cases grants those who are injured in a car accident four years to file a lawsuit in Florida civil courts. If your injury claim is against the city of Orlando, Orange County, or the state of Florida, the time is reduced to three years to file a lawsuit from the date of the accident. If your case is not filed within four years of the date you were injured (or three years for a government entity), you will be barred from bringing it in almost every circumstance. There is a limited exception, in the rare instance a person does not discover the harm from an accident until a later time. If the late discovery can be proven, then the window to file a lawsuit may be extended.