Legal Question in Traffic Law in Wisconsin

Statute of Limitations for Minor Hit by Car

In WI, the statute of limitations to pursue an injury claim is usually three years from the date of the accident. For minors, however, that time is sometimes extended until the age of majority (one exception being when the claim was settled earlier by a guardian with court approval). You would therefore normally be able to still pursue such a claim at age sixteen unless it was previously pursued and settled by a guardian. However, it will only be worth pursuing if the accident was not your fault and if the party who was at fault can afford to pay for your injuries (or has liability insurance coverage for the time period including the injury). Unfortunately, auto versus pedestrian accidents involving very young children are often not the driver's fault. Young children are prone to suddenly and unpredictably darting out in front of cars, making the accident unavoidable for the driver. As with most claims where the injured party is at fault, the claim may not be worth pursuing unless a solvant other than the driver was at fault. In any event, you owe it to yourself to consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible about your case. Regardless of your age at the time of the accident, the time limit still re-commences later and can still run out if your rights are not properly protected beforehand.