It is easy to assume you still have time. You might wait to file a personal injury claim because you are focused on your recovery, stuck in insurance negotiations or simply unsure how serious your injuries really are.
But in Georgia, the statute of limitations is strict — and once the deadline passes, your opportunity to file a claim usually disappears for good.
Missed deadlines often come down to the same set of assumptions. They seem harmless, even logical — but they quietly put you at risk of losing your right to take legal action.
What people believe
Before we get into what the law actually says, let’s take a look at five common assumptions that often cause people to miss the filing deadline.
- Thinking the clock starts when the full extent of injuries is known
- Believing that ongoing insurance negotiations delay the deadline
- Assuming courts typically grant deadline extensions if there’s a valid excuse
- Relying on special circumstances — like being a minor or injured on the job — as automatic time extensions
- Expecting some form of official notice before the statute of limitations runs out
Each of these beliefs can quietly chip away at your filing window — until it’s too late to do anything at all.
What the law actually says
In Georgia, the deadline to file a claim for personal injury is two years from the date of the accident. That clock doesn’t start when symptoms get worse or when you receive a diagnosis. It starts the moment the incident happens, whether you feel injured at the time or not.
Insurance negotiations don’t pause that timeline, nor does waiting to see how things play out. And while exceptions do exist, they are rare and usually tied to extreme circumstances, like legal incapacity.
There’s also no requirement for courts or insurers to notify you before time runs out. Once the deadline passes, you could lose your right to file — even if you had every intention of moving forward.
The window doesn’t stay open
Legal deadlines don’t wait for things to settle down. If you have been injured in Georgia, it’s important to understand that time is already working against you — even if you are still in pain, still waiting on paperwork or still hoping things resolve outside of court.
The law doesn’t leave much room for delays, but knowing what’s at stake gives you a chance to move before that window quietly closes.