The statute of limitations is a key concept in our legal system. Understanding this important concept is critical for business professionals, so that they can ensure their legal rights are protected. In simple terms, the statute of limitations is a law that sets a limit on how much time a person has to file a legal claim or pursue action against someone else.
This time limit, or statute of limitations, will vary by state and by type of legal action. So what that means is that you should pay attention to the rules in your state, or the state where the legal action is being taken, to understand what the time limit is for a certain action.
For example, in New York, the statute of limitations for filing a breach of contract claim is six years, and for filing a medical malpractice claim is two-and-a-half years. That means that in New York, if you believe you have a breach of contract claim, you have six years from the date of the event to file it. The same is true for medical malpractice claims. If you don’t file your claim within the time limit, you won’t be able to pursue it.
It’s important to understand that if the limits have expired, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have a case and it doesn’t mean that the other party hasn’t done something wrong. It just means that the statute of limitations has run out. So, if you believe you may have a legal claim, you may want to contact an attorney who can advise you on the specific statutes of limitation in your case.