If you have suffered a personal injury in Northern Ireland, understanding the time limits for bringing a claim is critical. Missing the relevant deadline can mean losing your right to compensation entirely, regardless of the strength of your case.
The General Rule
In Northern Ireland, the standard limitation period for personal injury claims is three years from the date of the accident or the date on which you first became aware of your injury (known as the “date of knowledge”). This is governed by the Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989.
Exceptions and Special Cases
There are important exceptions to the three-year rule:
- Children — The three-year time limit does not begin to run until a child reaches 18. A claim can be brought at any time before their 21st birthday.
- Persons lacking capacity — Where a person lacks mental capacity to bring a claim, the limitation period is suspended until they regain capacity.
- Criminal injuries — Claims to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme have a separate two-year time limit.
- Industrial disease — The three-year period runs from the date of knowledge, which may be well after the initial exposure.
Why You Should Act Quickly
Even where the limitation period has not yet expired, there are practical advantages to seeking legal advice as early as possible. Evidence can deteriorate over time, witnesses become harder to trace, and medical records are more readily available closer to the date of injury.
Belfast solicitors specialising in personal injury recommend that anyone who has suffered an injury through no fault of their own should seek a free initial consultation without delay.