Know the Deadlines for Filing Mental Health Injury Claims | Alabama & Georgia

Timing can determine whether your family has legal options at all. Mental health injury claims—including those involving social media addiction, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, self-harm, or suicidal ideation—are subject to strict filing deadlines. Missing a deadline can permanently bar a claim, even when harm is severe.

Bodewell helps families across Alabama and Georgia understand how statutes of limitations apply to mental health injuries and how these deadlines intersect with emerging social media addiction lawsuits.

Why the Statute of Limitations Matters in Mental Health Cases

Mental health injuries often develop gradually. Families may not immediately connect symptoms—such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or self-harm—to a specific cause like prolonged social media use.

However, courts typically measure deadlines from legally defined trigger points, not from when a family first becomes concerned. This is why understanding time limits early is critical—especially when reviewing signs of social media addiction in teens and young adults or gathering documentation.

Alabama Statute of Limitations for Mental Health Injury Claims

In most cases, Alabama law provides:

• Two years to file a personal injury claim, including claims involving mental health injuries
• Strict contributory negligence rules, which can bar recovery if the plaintiff is found even partially at fault

Because contributory negligence is unforgiving, early evaluation is especially important in cases involving teens and young adults. Claims tied to compulsive platform use are often analyzed within the framework of a social media addiction lawsuit, where platform design and youth vulnerability are key factors.

Georgia Statute of Limitations for Mental Health Injury Claims

Georgia law generally provides:

• Two years to file personal injury claims involving mental health harm
• A modified comparative fault system, which may reduce recovery if fault is shared
• Possible ante-litem notice requirements when government entities are involved

Families in Georgia often ask whether the clock starts when symptoms appear, when treatment begins, or when harm is linked to a specific cause. These questions can be complex and fact-specific, particularly in cases involving prolonged exposure to algorithm-driven platforms.

When Does the Clock Start Running?

Determining when a statute of limitations begins is one of the most important—and complicated—issues in mental health injury cases.

Factors that may affect timing include:

• The age of the injured person when harm began
• When a diagnosis was made
• When the connection between social media use and injury became apparent
• Whether harm escalated to hospitalization, self-harm, or long-term treatment

These issues often arise after families review resources like social media addiction and self-harm, social media and eating disorders, or how social media impacts body image in teens.

Special Considerations for Minors and Young Adults

Claims involving minors may be subject to tolling or special rules, but these exceptions are limited and should never be assumed. Waiting to “see how things go” can unintentionally forfeit legal rights.

Families often begin by gathering information through the Social Media Addiction & Teen Mental Health Resource Guide, then move quickly to confirm deadlines.

Evidence Must Be Preserved Before Time Runs Out

Deadlines affect not only filing but also evidence. App usage data, device histories, and account records may be lost or overwritten if not preserved early. You can learn more about documentation in what evidence is needed for a social media addiction claim.

What Families Should Do Now

1. Do not assume you have “plenty of time.”
2. Document diagnoses, treatment timelines, and social media use.
3. Preserve devices, accounts, and screen-time data.
4. Confirm your exact deadline with a qualified lawyer.

Important Deadline Reminder

Many claims must be filed within two years; some notices are shorter—call to confirm your exact deadline.

General information only; not legal advice. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.