what is the statute of limitations in georgia for suing an attorney for malpractice

by Cleora Roberts 9 min read

4-year

What to expect from a legal malpractice case?

15 rows · Feb 04, 2021 · Updated: Feb 4th, 2021. A statute of limitations is a state law that sets a strict time limit on ...

What is the Statute of limitations for tort in Georgia?

In Georgia the statute of limitations for medical malpractice is two years from the date on which an injury or death arising from the negligent act or omission occurred. But Georgia also has something called a statute of repose, which provides that even if the patient or family did not know about the malpractice, unless there is fraud, concealment, or misrepresentation, under no …

When does a mistake become legal malpractice?

Jan 22, 2015 · Although the date to renew was beyond the general four-year legal malpractice statute of limitation period, the Georgia Supreme Court held that the lawyer’s failure to notify his client that the lawyer would not renew the UCC-1 caused the four-year statute to spring into the future and restarts from that future point.

What are grounds for legal malpractice?

General Statute of Limitations for Medical Malpractice in Georgia In Georgia, the general statute of limitations for filing suit on medical malpractice claims is two years from the date the negligent or wrongful act (or failure to act) that caused injury or death occurred.

How long do you have to sue an attorney for malpractice in Georgia?

Georgia's deadline for filing a legal malpractice claim generally is 4 years. The law as to WHEN that four years begins to run is complicated, and you should contact an attorney for advice regarding the specific facts of your claim.

How long do you have to file malpractice suit in Georgia?

two yearsIn Georgia, the general statute of limitations for a medical malpractice lawsuit is two years; however, there are exceptions that can either extend or shorten a patient's time limit for filing a lawsuit.

How do I sue for medical malpractice in Georgia?

There must be a breach of the duty of care AND damages for a doctor to be guilty of medical malpractice. Additionally, before you can file a medical malpractice lawsuit, you must obtain an affidavit from a medical expert. The medical expert certifies that there is a factual basis for your medical malpractice lawsuit.Jun 5, 2021

Is there a statute of limitations on medical malpractice in Georgia?

In most instances, medical malpractice cases in Georgia are subject to a two-year statute of limitations from the date of injury or death. See O.C.G.A. § 9-3-71(a).Oct 21, 2020

What is the statute of limitations for legal malpractice in Georgia?

4-yearLegal malpractice claims are generally subject to a 4-year statute of limitation. Tucker v. Smith, 249 Ga.

How long do you have to sue for medical malpractice?

three yearsGenerally you have three years to make a medical negligence claim from the date that your injury was linked to a medical error (not necessarily the date in which you suffered the injury). However, there are some exceptions to this rule.

How is medical malpractice defined in Georgia?

This law, which can be found at Georgia Code section 9-3-71, says that a medical malpractice lawsuit must be filed against the health care provider within two years of the date on which "an injury or death arising from a negligent or wrongful act or omission occurred" -- meaning the surgical error, misdiagnosis, or ...

Can I sue doctor?

Yes, you can sue when a doctor gets your illness or injury wrong. This is called "misdiagnosis" and is part of the legal field called medical malpractice. The umbrella to this legal area is personal injury law. Personal injury cases are civil cases, not criminal cases.Apr 22, 2020

How long is the statute of limitations for medical malpractice in Georgia?

Explanation of Malpractice Statute of Limitations for Georgia. In Georgia the statute of limitations for medical malpractice is two years from the date on which an injury or death arising from the negligent act or omission occurred. But Georgia also has something called a statute of repose, which provides that even if the patient ...

What age can you sue a minor?

The parents’ claim may be cut-off by the standard statute of limitations, even if the minor’s claim may be extended because he is under age 7, or under age 10.

It just takes a pencil to file a lawsuit

These situations happen more often than you think. A procrastinating client may voice concerns about results from years back, or there’s an unexpected event driven by another legal action which causes the client to blame you. Other damage may have occurred, where an obscure issue has now snowballed into a major problem, and the client blames you.

When does the limitation period begin?

The statute of limitation period for legal malpractice actions begins to run from the date of the breach of duty by the lawyer. It does not begin to run from the time when the full extent of the injury is learned, nor from the date that the client discovered the error.

Three ways to minimize exposure

Not that you ever plan to be sued for legal malpractice, but you need to be prepared and remain prepared during the span of each matter’s limitation period. The best way to do this is to shore up some of your firm’s operational procedures. Here are three ideas that can help:

Responding to a complaint

In the rare event that you do receive a claim letter or complaint from a current or former client, you’ll want to immediately review the engagement and disengagement communications as well as all possible limitation periods for that matter – assuming you know when an error was allegedly made.

How long can you sue for medical malpractice in Georgia?

Statute of Limitations for Medical Malpractice in Georgia. Generally, Georgia Code § 9-3-71 gives patients only two years from the date of injury or death to bring a lawsuit for medical malpractice.

How long can you sue someone in Georgia?

Georgia ultimately cuts off your right to sue after five years have passed from the negligent or wrongful treatment you received. This is the statute of repose, and it limits your ability to sue.

Can you leave a sponge in after surgery?

Doctors sometimes leave sponges, clamps, or other objects in a patient after surgery. Georgia Code § 9-3-72 sets a one-year statute of limitations in these cases. The clock starts ticking from the date you discovered the foreign object—not from the date of surgery.

Is there a statute of limitations for medical malpractice in Georgia?

Georgia’s statute of limitations for malpractice is complicated, and injured victims would do well to reach out to a qualified medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. There is no time to delay.

Can a child sue for medical malpractice?

Children who suffer an injury might get additional time to bring a medical malpractice lawsuit. Under § 9-3-73, the statute of limitations cannot run out before a child’s 7th birthday. This means if your child is injured before turning 5, he or she can still sue up to age 7, even if more than two years have passed.

Can you sue a doctor in Georgia?

However, Georgia law only gives you a limited amount of time to bring a lawsuit. This amount of time is set by the state’s “statute of limitations.”.