The Statute of Limitations defines the time limit during which a head-injured person can file a lawsuit. Depending on the type of lawsuit, the Statute of Limitations can be any number of years. Once the time limit has passed, no suit can be started. The time period at which the Statute of Limitations begins to run is crucial.
State laws vary.
Once the time limit begins, some laws lift the time limit while the injured person is disabled or incompetent and then resume the time period when the disability is removed. The problem for the head-injured person is to make sure that any potential lawsuit is filed within the requisite time periods so that it is not forever barred. Once the Statute of Limitations has run, no lawsuit, legitimate or otherwise, can be filed. This becomes problematic for the head injured because the full extent of damages may not be apparent until a significant time period has passed. If a suit has not been filed within the requisite period, even if there are late consequences from the head injury, a later suit will not be allowed.