For expert guidance on the time limit for making a medical accident claim contact our free helpline by phone or email
Most legal claims are subject to time limits that regulate how long someone has to start their case in court, and medical accident claims are no exception.
The time limit for making a medical accident claim
The standard time limit for making a medical accident claim is three years. This date is calculated either from the date that your injury was suffered or the date when you first realised a medical accident had caused you to suffer injury.
We recommend that you take expert legal advice on identifying the correct date in order to avoid the risk of losing the right to make a claim.
Generally it is best to consult solicitors at the earliest possible stage so that they have the maximum amount of time available to investigate the case and gather all the available evidence.
It is important to remember that the claim must not just be started within the three year period but formal court proceedings must have been commenced.
However, there are important exceptions to th general rule.
Exceptions to the three year rule
The three year rule does not apply where the patient who has suffered injury was under the age of 18 or has a mental disability. In the case of children the time limit does not start to run until they reach the age of 18.