You must begin your nursing home lawsuit before the time allowed runs out

You may have been hurt by a nursing home staff member’s abuse or neglect, or your loved one may have been the victim and may be asking you what she should do.

Don’t Delay Taking Action

According to the Iowa Statute of Limitations, a person who has suffered an injury due to nursing home abuse or neglect generally has two years from the date the injury was discovered (or should have been discovered) to file a lawsuit. In special circumstances, this general rule may be shortened or extended.

However, you do not need to wait until the end of your time to file a case to take action. An injured person can file any time up until the legal deadline and there may be advantages to filing sooner rather than later. Specifically:

  • You may help protect your own recovery. Evidence may be easier to gather soon after the abuse or negligence occurs. Additionally, the sooner a case is filed, the sooner it can be resolved and the faster an injured party may recover damages for nursing home abuse.
     
  • You may help protect others. By calling attention to the problem, you may help prevent other nursing home residents from suffering similar injuries.

Whatever You Do, Don’t Miss the Deadline

If you fail to file your claim before the statute of limitations expires, then you can expect the defendant to file a motion with the court seeking to have the case dismissed. The court will grant that motion, your case will not be heard and you will not recover any damages for the injuries that you, or your loved one, suffered.

Don’t Let This Happen to You

Instead, take action today and expect that the nursing home will likely have lawyers defending against your claim. You deserve the same advantage. Please start a live chat with us today to schedule your free consultation so that we can help you understand how a nursing home abuse case works in Iowa and how to move forward with your fair and just recovery in a timely manner.

Jason F. Abraham
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Helping car accident and personal injury victims throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa since 1993.