Ala. Statute of Limitations Now Begins at Manifest, Present Injury

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Alabama Supreme Court has reinterpreted the accrual of the state's statute of limitations in toxic tort cases, overruling case law that for nearly 30 years required plaintiffs to file their claims within two years of the date of last exposure to a harmful product. Griffin v. Troy King, Alabama Attorney General, et al., No. 1061214 (Ala. Sup. Ct.).

The new precedent, as outlined in the high court's Jan. 25 decision, allows plaintiffs two years from the date an injury is manifest and present to file a personal injury claim. In doing so, the court overruled Garrett …