You’ll soon have less time to decide whether to sue someone

By

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – You’d better act quickly if you want to file a lawsuit against a person or company that has wronged you.

The province is changing the Limitation Act in June.

Borden Ladner Gervais partner David Crerar says the new rules will be easier to understand, but they don’t leave much time for procrastinators.

“Anyone who has a potential claim, be it a claim against a contractor for a home renovation or a claim against a phone company for an overcharge, it will generally be governed by this new act,” Crerar tells News1130.

“The key feature of this new act is that instead of having this somewhat complicated laundry list of which people had different periods in which people had to sue, which was different for every claim, it now generally sets down a two-year limitation period.”

Under the current rules, people are given a six-year window to file a claim, in most cases.

“Under the old act, people could see if the cracks in the floor [from their home renovation] were widening, see if the situation improved or if they could negotiate some sort of settlement,” he says. “Now, they have to go through that process and make the decision on whether they are going to sue in two years instead of six years.”

The Ministry of Justice says the changes bring BC’s laws more in-line with other provinces.

There are exceptions; Crerar says it’s best to call your lawyer if you have a question.

Click here to find a summary of the changes.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today