The amount of time you have to file a drunk driving accident claim depends on the statute of limitations in your area. It’s very important to understand what such a statute is, and how it works.
Missouri and Kansas both have statutes of limitations in effect to prevent a party injured in a car or motorcycle accident from filing suit after a certain amount of time has elapsed. So your right to press a suit to collect damages ends if you don't act within that predetermined amount of time.
In Missouri, the statute of limitations for most motorcycle, car and truck accidents is five years. If five years have elapsed since the accident in question, you will most likely no longer be able to bring legal actions against the driver of the vehicle that injured you, even if they were intoxicated at the time of the accident.
The clock begins to run when the damage from an accident is sustained and capable of being determined. The extent of the damage may not yet be known, but it has been proven to originate on a certain date.
Kansas has a far shorter statute of limitations — two years from the date of the crash, or the date of the occurrence that led to a drunk driving claim in the first place.
In both Missouri and Kansas, if you've been injured in a drunk driving accident, you should immediately get in touch with an attorney. Even the most experienced injury attorney won't be able to assist you if you allow the statute of limitation to expire.
Call us today at 816-842-7100 to speak with an attorney that will fight to get you the compensation you deserve. Or you can click here to email us and schedule your free consultation.