Newton, NJ Personal Injury Law Firms & Lawyers

You didn't say how long ago that the accident occurred. In Michigan, a lawsuit arising out of an automobile accident must be file with three years of the date of the accident. The victim's marijuana impairment will be considered by the court if related to the accident and could be the basis for dismissal or reduction of any judgment.

I will assume you were the bicyclist although the answer is the same if you were the car driver. The answer to how long you have to sue after an accident depends on (1) whether the person who hit you was working for the government or a political subdivision (such as a school district) at the time of the accident; and (2) your age. The length of time you have to either have a case resolved or have a lawsuit filed is called a "Statute of Limitations." Once the statute of limitations expires you lose, assuming that the defendant raises it as a defense, which occurs in almost all cases, Generally, for vehicle accidents in Nebraska involving private citizens you have four (4) years from the date of the accident to either have the case settled or to sue. If the driver was working for the government (federal, state, county, city or local) or a political subdivision (such as a public school) you must file a written claim (a "Tort Claim"), either within 1 or 2 years depending on who is involved, and have a limited amount of time after that to file suit. There are specific requirements for claims against the government, a political subdivision or any of their employees. As your question does not indicate that any of these are involved, I will not further discuss Tort Claims. If you are under the age of 20, you have until your 25th birthday to sue. However, if you were under the age of 19, your parent's claim for payment of your medical expenses (parents are responsible for the medical bills of their children) would be the same as if you were adult. The statute of limitations for your claim if you are under 19 items such as pain and suffering and other items, would be until your 25th birthday. There are other things that can shorten or extend the statute of limitations. As you do not indicate whether the car driver was a "private" citizen or working for a governmental entity nor list your age, I cannot state how long you have to sue. I would suggest contacting a personal injury attorney to discuss your case. Most offer a free initial consultation and you can find out the statute of limitations for your case and whether there might be other requirements that shorten the time you have to sue or make a claim.

I think you should consult another lawyer. I have never seen a pro se individual get close to what an attorney would get unless they were offered the policy limits up front, which I'm guessing is not likely in your case. Putting a value on a case is an art, not a science. There are no tables that can take into account all the factors of the case, and if you are anything like me, if you wanted a nice self-portrait you would not try to paint it yourself - you would hire an artist.