Legal Question in Health Care Law in Florida

As with all legal claims, there is a statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit over medical bills. The statute of limitations is the deadline in which a case must be filed in court. If the case is not filed before on or before that deadline, then the case cannot be filed in court.

For medical bills, you probably signed something at the doctor's office saying that you agreed to pay the bills. This is considered a written contract. In the case of of a written contract, they have 5 years from the date the treatment was given in which to file a lawsuit. However, if you made payments on the bill afterward, then that starts the 5 year clock running again. For example, if you had medical treatment on January 5, 2005, then they would normally have until January 5, 2010 to file a lawsuit. If you made a payment on the bill on January 10, 2007, then they would have until January 10, 2012 in which to file a lawsuit.

If you didn't sign anything at the doctor's office, then it's an oral contract. They would only have 4 years in which to file a lawsuit in that case.