Miss the deadline, and a Montana court can throw the case out completely no matter how serious her injuries are.

For most Montana injury claims, the big deadline is 3 years from the date of the crash. That is the usual statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit. Montana is an at-fault insurance state, so the claim usually starts with the other driver's insurer, but the 3-year clock keeps running while insurance talks drag on.

Do not treat that deadline like extra time to spare. Waiting even a week can cost you evidence, especially around a Kalispell school zone in back-to-school season. Bus stop witnesses disappear back into routines. Nearby business footage can be erased in days. School-area camera footage may not sit around forever. Skid marks fade fast, and damaged strollers, backpacks, or clothing tend to get tossed once people start cleaning up.

A few practical timelines matter right away:

• Get the crash report from Kalispell Police Department or Montana Highway Patrol as soon as it is available.
• Have her seen and documented by a doctor immediately if that has not happened yet.
• Notify the insurer promptly, but do not assume opening a claim preserves the lawsuit deadline.
• If a school bus, city vehicle, or government employee was involved, move fast because those claims can have extra procedural traps.

As for how long the whole process takes, a straightforward injury claim may resolve in months once treatment stabilizes. A case with surgery, disputed fault, or long recovery can take a year or more. On roads like US-2 and other busy Flathead routes, insurers often argue over speed, distraction, and pedestrian visibility, especially near active school crossings.

Also keep Montana's minimum liability limits in mind: $25,000/$50,000/$20,000. Serious injuries can blow past those numbers in a hurry.