Illinois drivers are involved in hundreds of thousands of car accidents a year. In 2021, the state saw nearly 300,000 crashes. If the damage is minor and can be settled quickly between drivers, it may seem like a hassle that’s easier to fix and forget. After all, everyone wants to turn the page on an accident.
But a car accident can leave a long tail of injury and damage, even if it’s not dramatic and even if you can walk away from it. In fact, some injuries can go unnoticed for long periods of time, only surfacing later in the form of chronic pain or long-term trauma.
Statute of Limitations
When it comes to seeking compensation for the pain and suffering resulting from a car accident, victims don’t have all the time in the world. In fact, they need to move within the statute of limitations as determined by law. A statute of limitations is the time frame—as defined by legislation—that parties have to seek compensation after damage or injury. This means that the parties involved must take legal action or relinquish any claims to monetary compensation for material damages or any pain and suffering caused by the accident. It’s an important consideration that may take time to assess.
The Two Statutes of Limitations for Reporting in Illinois
The state of Illinois has two statutes of limitations—or time limits—for filing a lawsuit involving a car accident. For personal injury cases, the injured party has two years from the date of the accident to file. And in cases of property damage, the filer has five years to formally file a case.
Car Accidents Involving Personal Injury
With the stricter deadline of two years, cases involving personal injury suffered during a car accident must be handled with some speed. Two years may sound like a long time. But filing a personal injury case may require assessing your injuries’ real cost. This may include:
- Finding proper and appropriate medical treatment. Injuries caused by car accidents can be varied, difficult to treat, or late-onset. Back problems, spinal injuries, concussions and brain complications may require you to seek specialists and experts. Finding these specialists and having them assess your case can take time. This is often happening while the clock is ticking for you to file our personal injury claim.
- Accessing medical files or documenting all treatment. Collecting all the paperwork involved in insurance claims, emergency treatment, possibly surgeries, or psychological treatment can be time-consuming, not to mention overwhelming. Getting these documents is a challenging but necessary part of assessing a personal injury case.
- Assessing “invisible” injuries such as trauma. Sometimes, the side effects of a traumatic event like a severe car accident don’t appear immediately. Taking the time to assess whether the accident has damaged your mental health will be worthwhile, but it puts extra pressure on the clock.
Car Accidents Involving Property Damage
Property damage may seem like a more straightforward price to assess. It’s the cost of repairing, or, in more serious cases, replacing, a vehicle. But there are some other properties you should consider when thinking about property damage:
- The loss of value. After it has been damaged and repaired, your car may be worth less. Even after cars are repaired, there may be “invisible damage” to the car’s frame or alignment that may devalue your car as a direct result of the accident.
- Rental car/taxi or rideshare costs. You may be eligible for reimbursement for the other transportation arrangements you make while your car is being repaired.
- Car accessories. Some car accessories like upgraded speakers for your car stereo, phone chargers or mounts, and children’s car seats may be lost in a car accident or during its repairs.
- Your iPad, cell phone, or laptop may be impacted by a car accident by falling to the floor, cracking a screen, or overheating if left in the car in the accident’s aftermath.
Compensation
If you have suffered a car accident or are approaching the statute of limitations on personal injury or property damage resulting from a car accident, Illinois personal injury attorneys at Cullotta Bravo Law Group can help. With more than 30 years of experience, they have secured millions of dollars in settlements for their clients. Contact Cullotta Bravo Law Group by calling them at 630-898-7800, or send them a message online at Cullotta Bravo Law Group .