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What is an ante-litem case?

An ante-litem case is one that follows a bit of a different process than a typical personal injury case. In these instances, a lawsuit can only be filed after an ante-litem notice has been served. This is a piece of paper that notifies the alleged at-fault parties of someone’s intent to sue. It is most often required when the named defendant is a governmental entity, school system or county.

It’s important to understand that in these cases, the statute of limitations still applies. For example, if the statute of limitations is three years from the date of injury, and you have a year to file the ante-litem notice, you still only have three years to file the case. The statute of limitations is not extended by a year. Instead, if you wait for a year to file the notice, you would then only have two years to file the lawsuit.

When a person is injured in some type of accident that can be attributed to the negligence or error of someone else, they may have the legal right to file a lawsuit seeking compensation for the financial strain they have suffered. This is still the case when the at-fault party is a governmental employee, a member of a local school district or a county worker. If you have questions about filing an ante-litem case, or if a notice is required, following an accident in Pensacola, an experienced personal injury attorney can assist you.