Check if your legal claim is still within time — UK & US
A statute of limitations (called a "limitation period" in the UK) is the legal deadline for bringing a court claim. Once the period expires, the defendant can raise "limitation" as a complete defence and the court will dismiss the claim — no matter how strong it is. Time limits exist to ensure claims are brought while evidence is fresh and to give defendants certainty.
In England and Wales, the limitation period for personal injury claims is 3 years from the date of injury — or from the date of knowledge, if later (meaning when you first knew or ought reasonably to have known that the injury was significant and caused by the defendant's act or omission). For children, the 3-year clock doesn't start until their 18th birthday. The court has discretion to extend the deadline in exceptional cases under section 33 of the Limitation Act 1980, but this is not guaranteed.
Statutes of limitations in the US vary significantly by state and claim type. For personal injury, most states allow 2–3 years (with some as low as 1 year, like Louisiana, and some as high as 6 years). Written contracts typically allow 4–6 years. Oral contracts are often shorter (2–4 years). Medical malpractice is commonly 2–3 years from the date of discovery. Some states "toll" (pause) the clock for minors, fraud, or when the defendant leaves the state.
Missing the limitation deadline is almost always fatal to a claim. The defendant can file a motion to dismiss, and courts routinely grant these without considering the merits. There are very narrow exceptions: the "discovery rule" delays the clock until you discovered (or should have discovered) the harm; "fraudulent concealment" by the defendant may toll time; and for minors or those lacking capacity, time may not run until capacity is restored. If you think a deadline is approaching, consult a solicitor or attorney immediately.
In the UK, for breach of contract claims, time runs from the date of the breach — not when you discovered it. For simple contracts the limit is 6 years; for contracts under seal (deeds) it is 12 years. In the US, contract limitation periods range from 3–6 years for written contracts and 2–4 years for oral contracts, usually starting from the date of breach. For continuing breaches, each new breach may trigger a new limitation period.