Every injury claim has a deadline, called the statute of limitations. Miss it and you can lose your case no matter how badly you were hurt. Here’s the short version for Florida and Tennessee.
Florida: two years for most injury cases
Since 2023, most Florida negligence cases, including car accidents, must be filed within two years. Wrongful death cases also have a two-year deadline (Fla. Stat. 95.11). Some cases, like claims against government agencies or medical malpractice claims, have extra notice rules that can shorten the time you really have.
Tennessee: often just one year
Tennessee is one of the shortest in the country. Most personal injury cases must be filed within one year (Tenn. Code 28-3-104). There is a two-year exception in some cases where criminal charges are brought against the person who caused the injury, but you should not count on it without talking to a lawyer.
Why waiting hurts even before the deadline
Deadlines are the outer limit. The real damage from waiting happens earlier. Video footage gets deleted. Witnesses move or forget. Cars get repaired or scrapped. Insurance companies use gaps in treatment against you. The sooner someone starts building your case, the more evidence there is to work with.
Not sure what your deadline is?
Deadlines depend on what happened, where, and who was involved. Tell me what happened, and I’ll tell you where you stand.
Hurt in a crash? Call me at (561) 291-7088 or request a free case review. There is no fee unless we recover.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
