WRONGFUL DEATH AND CAR ACCIDENTS IN MISSOURI

Most people cannot conceive of any situation that sees them causing the death of another person. Death is such a dramatic and mind-boggling concept, the idea that something you do could possibly cause death seems impossible.

Yet every year more than 20,000 people lose their lives in one of the most common events of modern life: Car accidents. And many of these deaths could be considered wrongful deaths if the driver of the other vehicle is found to be in some way negligent.

However, many people do not realize that there is a statute of limitations on wrongful death in Columbia, MO, and it is very easy to misunderstand what that time period is if you’re not familiar with the applicable law.

Wrongful Death Law

Some of the confusion surrounding vehicular wrongful death in Columbia, MO is the fact that two laws come into play: The law that governs car accidents that result in injury, which states that the statute of limitations for making a claim is five years, and the law that governs wrongful death claims, which defines the time period as three years.

Filing a claim after this deadline can result in dismissal of the case. Many people find it difficult or impossible to take action on a wrongful death in Columbia, MO due to the emotional trauma involved, and unfortunately, these delays can easily result in losing your right to make a claim at all.

Contact an Attorney

As always, contacting a qualified and experienced attorney to assist you with a wrongful death claim is always a good idea. Even if you are not ready to face the situation, retaining an attorney means someone will be keeping an objective eye on the case.

Filed Under: Auto Accident, Wrongful Death