The statute of limitations is a critical legal deadline that pedestrian accident victims must understand when pursuing a personal injury claim in Green Bay, Wisconsin. This time-sensitive window determines how long an injured pedestrian has to file a lawsuit after being struck by a vehicle. In Wisconsin, pedestrian accident victims typically have three years from the date of the accident to initiate legal proceedings for personal injury damages. Missing this deadline can permanently bar recovery, regardless of how severe the injuries might be or how clear the driver's fault. The statute serves multiple purposes within the legal system, including preserving evidence while it's fresh, providing closure to all parties, and preventing the threat of litigation from lingering indefinitely. For pedestrian accident victims in Green Bay, understanding this timeline is especially important given the city's unique traffic patterns, winter weather conditions that can affect pedestrian safety, and the complications that can arise when accidents occur near the Fox River or in busy downtown areas.

Legal Rights and Considerations

Wisconsin operates under a modified comparative negligence system, where pedestrians who are found to be less than 51% responsible for their accident can still recover damages, though the compensation may be reduced by their percentage of fault. Wisconsin's minimum auto insurance requirements mandate that drivers carry at least $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person and $50,000 for two or more people, which may affect compensation in pedestrian claims. The three-year statute of limitations (Wisconsin Statute § 893.54) begins on the date of the accident, though exceptions may apply for minors or those with cognitive impairments. Victims may pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and in some cases, punitive damages if the driver's behavior was particularly reckless. Pedestrian claims often involve negotiations with insurance companies before proceeding to litigation in Brown County courts. An experienced Wisconsin pedestrian accident lawyer(link is external) will handle all aspects of the legal claim.

Examples of other types accident claims that can be affected by the statute of limitations include:

• Wisconsin car accidents(link is external)
• Wisconsin truck accidents(link is external)
• Wisconsin motorcycle accidents(link is external)
• Wisconsin bicycle accidents(link is external)
• Wisconsin construction accidents(link is external)

Related Resources

• Brown County Circuit Court (100 S. Jefferson Street, Green Bay, WI 54301)
• Green Bay Police Department Accident Reports Division
• Wisconsin Department of Transportation Pedestrian Safety Resources
• Brown County Victim/Witness Assistance Program
• Wisconsin State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
• Wisconsin Statute § 893.54 (Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury)
• Wisconsin Statute § 346.23-26 (Pedestrian Right-of-Way Laws)
• Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance Consumer Resources

Return to the Green Bay pedestrian accident statistics page