Medical Malpractice Attorneys and Lawyers

statute of limitations on a past medical bill?

I had surgery 22 years ago which resulted in a medical malpractice law suit. Unfortunately I did not win the case but one of the doctors involved is trying to garnish my pay now. It is from 22 years ago. Can this be done? There was a judgement against me at one time which I never received notice of. Is there anything I can do to fight this garnishment? I am in New Jersey, Please advise if you have any info. Thank you

Public Comments

1. If it was awarded in court....yes, there is no statute of limitations. It's 7 years on a credit report.
2. A judgment is legally valid only for a certain number of years, which varies by State. Ten years is the most common. In many States, though, a judgment can be extended before it expires. In some States it can only be extended once, in some it can be extended multiple times. Richard
3. All states have a statute of limitations regarding how long someone has to pursue collection on a judgment. If you click EDIT and then ADD DETAILS to mention your state then you can get a more specific answer. Many states allow 10 years to collect on a judgment, while others allow the judgment to be extended for a few more years. I would be really surprised to find a state that allows a judgment to be enforced after 22 years, but I haven't checked the statutes for every state.