This is a complicated question that is dependent upon a variety of factors, including the specific laws of the jurisdiction relative to you case. As a rule, the sooner you hire an attorney the better. Not only are there limitation periods for the case itself, there all also limitation periods for ancillary claims related to the initial injury (I.e. no-fault claims, workers’ compensation claims, etc.). Additionally, from an attorney’s perspective, the sooner a lawyer is retained, the sooner the lawyer can begin the investigation. This is vital in certain cases where accident scenes change, witnesses become unavailable or video recordings and other evidence is simply discarded in the normal course of business after a certain time. Early contact with an injury lawyer is often vital in preserving key evidence necessary for the successful litigation of your case.