Virginia Statute of Limitations

In Pennsylvania, the statute of limitation for a wrongful death, personal injury, product liability, and medical malpractice lawsuit is two years.

What is statute of limitations? A statute of limitation is a common law system that sets forth the maximum time period after certain events such as a wrongful death that legal proceedings may be initiated.

Virginia statutes of limitations

• For negligence – 2 years
• For medical malpractice – Against health care providers = within 2 yrs. of date of act giving rise to injury. Minors (under 8 yrs. old) = until 10th birthday to file suit. Minors (8 yrs. old and older) = within 2 yrs. of date of act giving rise to injury. Actions based on insertion of foreign object = within 1 yr. from date that object was or should have been discovered (May not file more than 10 yrs. from date when object was inserted)
• For product negligence – 2 years after suffering injury
  
• For wrongful death – 2 years of (D.O.D)
  
• For survival – 2 yrs limitation against the death action running from the date of death, notwithstanding the fact that the injury may have been suffered earlier.
  Virginia’s cap on damage awards
  

For Medical Malpractice
Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-581.15 (2007)

§ 8.01-581.15.  Limitation on recovery in certain medical malpractice actions.
In any verdict returned against a health care provider in an action for malpractice where the act or acts of malpractice occurred on or after August 1, 1999, which is tried by a jury or in any judgment entered against a health care provider in such an action which is tried without a jury, the total amount recoverable for any injury to, or death of, a patient shall not exceed $ 1.5 million. The maximum recovery limit of $ 1.5 million shall increase on July 1, 2000, and each July 1 thereafter by $ 50,000 per year; however, the annual increase on July 1, 2007, and the annual increase on July 1, 2008, shall be $ 75,000 per year. Each annual increase shall apply to the act or acts of malpractice occurring on or after the effective date of the increase. The July 1, 2008, increase shall be the final annual increase.

Where the act or acts of malpractice occurred prior to August 1, 1999, the total amount recoverable for any injury to, or death of, a patient shall not exceed the limitation on recovery set forth in this statute as it was in effect when the act or acts of malpractice occurred.

For Product Liability – $1 million limitation on all damages; caps punitive damages at $350,000

For Pharmaceutical Cases – $1 million limitation on all damages
Virginia cap on attorney fees – no limitations
Virginia minor tolling - Except in cases of medical malpractice or wrongful death, the statute of limitations begins to run on the minor's 18th birthday

Local Trial Lawyers
Virginia Trial Lawyers Association
700 East Main Street, Suite 1400
Richmond, Virginia 23219
804-343-1143
http://vtla.com/va/

Virginia State Police Headquarters
P.O. Box 27472
Richmond, Virginia 23261-7472
804-674-2000
http://www.vsp.state.va.us/

Please fill out the form below to see if you have a wrongful death case.

* Required Fields. * Click on the Disclaimer, below, for Terms PERSONAL INFORMATION
First Name:
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INCIDENT INFORMATION
Date of Accident:	January February March April May June July August September October November December 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 1906 1905 1904 1903 1902
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