Kentucky sets a hard deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit. As a general rule the deadline is 1 year from the date of the injury. Wrongful death claims run on their own clock: 1 year from the date of death, or from appointment of the personal representative. Miss the deadline and the court can throw out an otherwise strong case, no matter how badly you were hurt.

Claims involving a city, county, or state agency are stricter still. Claims against the state go through the Board of Claims, generally within 1 year; local rules vary. Because these notice periods can be a fraction of the normal deadline, accidents involving public buses, government vehicles, or hazards on public property should be reviewed by an attorney right away.

There are exceptions that can shorten or extend these timelines, including claims by minors and injuries that were not discovered immediately. The safest approach in Kentucky is to have your case looked at within days, not months.

Kentucky applies pure comparative negligence — your recovery is reduced by your share of fault. That single rule shapes everything about your case, because the insurance company's cheapest defense is almost always to argue that the accident was partly, or entirely, your fault.

On damages, no general cap on damages in personal injury cases. A full claim can include emergency and follow-up medical care, future treatment, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and pain and suffering. Documenting each of those categories is what separates a quick lowball offer from a fair settlement.

Insurers in every state move fast after a crash or fall — recorded statements, early offers, and requests for broad medical authorizations are routine. You are not required to agree to any of it before you understand what your claim is worth.

For car, truck, and motorcycle crashes, Kentucky uses a choice no-fault system; basic PIP of $10,000 applies unless you reject no-fault in writing. Knowing which system applies tells you who pays your first medical bills and whether you can pursue the at-fault driver directly for pain and suffering.

Get evaluated even if you feel fine at the scene. Soft tissue injuries, concussions, and back injuries often surface days later, and a gap in treatment is the first thing an adjuster points to. Consistent medical records from providers across Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green and Owensboro and the rest of Kentucky are the backbone of any injury claim.

Keep everything: the crash or incident report, photos, names of witnesses, out-of-pocket receipts, and a short daily note about pain and missed work. It costs nothing now and it is very hard to recreate later.