A toxic tort is a claim that someone was harmed or wrongfully killed as a result of exposure to environmental hazards, such as pesticides or groundwater pollution caused by an industrial plant. Like other personal injury lawsuits, residents in Riverside, California and throughout the state are subject to statutes of limitations for toxic torts. This means there is a deadline to file a lawsuit, and if no action is taken by that time, the injured party forfeits the right to pursue compensation in court. To avoid giving up your legal rights, contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as you realize your injuries were caused by someone else’s negligence. 
In California, the statute of limitations for filing a toxic tort is two years. The clock starts ticking on the date that the toxic exposure occurred. If the case is a wrongful death lawsuit, the two-year deadline begins on the date of the person’s death. It isn’t always possible for plaintiffs to immediately connect the dots between an illness and toxic exposure. A personal injury lawyer may still file a lawsuit no later than two years from the date that the plaintiff knew or reasonably should have known that harm occurred because of the toxic exposure.