Law & Medicine

Statute of limitations in malpractice actions


 

Question: Regarding the statute of limitations, which of the following is incorrect?

A. The statute stipulates the time period from knowledge of injury to when a lawsuit must be filed, beyond which it will be forever barred.

B. This time period is usually 2 years but varies somewhat from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

C. It starts to “run” when the cause of action accrues, i.e., when the claimant knew or should have known of the injury, not when the negligent act took place.

D. In the case of minors, disability, and concealment, the statute may be tolled, thereby giving the plaintiff more time to file his/her claim.

E. In some U.S. jurisdictions, the judge may exercise discretion and waive the statutory time period.

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