One of the most important laws to know in Kansas City when filing a brain injury claim is the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations is a law put in place to encourage claimants to file causes of action as soon as possible. They are deadlines by which plaintiffs must file their claims or else lose the right to file, in most cases. Although there are a few exceptions, the courts in both Kansas and Missouri typically will not hear brain injury claims filed after the expiration of the statute of limitations. It is important to know and obey your deadline, therefore, if you wish to have a valid claim. A lawyer from Dickerson Oxton can help you understand your exact deadline. The statute of limitations under Missouri Revisor of Statutes Section 516.120 is 5 years from the date of the accident in Missouri. In Kansas, the statute of limitations is only two years (Kansas Statutes Annotated Section 60-513). In both states, the countdown on the statute of limitations begins on the date of the accident or incident that caused your brain injury. If you did not realize you had a brain injury until a few days after the accident, the clock will not start ticking until the date you discover the accident injury. This is called the discovery rule. It is the most common exception to the statute of limitations on personal injury cases in Kansas City. Another exception applies to claimants who are under the age of majority. If the accident victim with a brain injury is a minor under the age of 18, Missouri gives that claimant five years from the date of his or her 18th birthday to file. Kansas gives minors up to one year after their 18th birthdays to file. You may have less than your state's statute of limitations to file a brain injury claim, however, if the defendant named in your claim works for the government. A tort claim against the government must be filed within just 90 days of the harmful accident in Missouri. Speak to an attorney right away about your brain injury claim to make sure you meet your deadline to file. Otherwise, the courts may bar you from financial recovery.