Compare personal injury lawsuit filing deadlines across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Learn when time limits may begin, which exceptions may apply, and why filing requirements vary by case.
The statute of limitations for personal injury is the legal time limit for filing a lawsuit after an injury. There is no single national deadline. Most states allow two or three years for ordinary negligence claims, while a few allow as little as one year or as many as six. Medical malpractice, wrongful death, and product liability claims may follow different rules, and claims against government entities often require much earlier notice. Discovery rules and tolling provisions may affect some cases, so the correct deadline depends on the governing law and the facts.
Every U.S. state sets legal time limits, called statutes of limitations, for filing civil lawsuits. For personal injury claims, these limits matter because a lawsuit filed too late may be dismissed regardless of its merits. Limitation periods differ from state to state, and the type of claim can change the rule that applies.
The date of an injury does not always control when the clock starts, and claims against government bodies may carry separate notice requirements. The deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit depends on the jurisdiction, claim type, parties involved, and applicable legal exceptions.
Counts use the general deadline shown in the state table below. Several states apply different periods to particular claims, so a state's general period does not cover every injury case.
The table lists the general limitation period for ordinary negligence-based personal injury lawsuits in each jurisdiction, with the governing statute. It does not show medical malpractice, wrongful death, product liability, or government claim deadlines, which are often different.
| State | General Personal Injury Filing Deadline | Statutory Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2 years | Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l) |
| Alaska | 2 years | Alaska Stat. § 09.10.070 |
| Arizona | 2 years | Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-542 |
| Arkansas | 3 years | Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105 |
| California | 2 years | Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1 |
| Colorado | 2 years for most tort claims3 years for many motor vehicle accident claims | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-102(1)(a); § 13-80-101(1)(n) |
| Connecticut | 2 yearsNegligence claims are also subject to a 3-year outer limit from the act or omission | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584 |
| Delaware | 2 years | Del. Code Ann. tit. 10, § 8119 |
| Florida | 2 years for negligence Date-dependentApplies to negligence causes of action accruing after March 24, 2023; earlier claims were generally subject to 4 years | Fla. Stat. § 95.11(4)(a) |
| Georgia | 2 years | O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 |
| Hawaii | 2 years | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-7 |
| Idaho | 2 years | Idaho Code § 5-219(4) |
| Illinois | 2 years | 735 ILCS 5/13-202 |
| Indiana | 2 years | Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4 |
| Iowa | 2 years | Iowa Code § 614.1(2) |
| Kansas | 2 years | Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-513(a)(4) |
| Kentucky | 1 yearMotor vehicle injury claims covered by the Motor Vehicle Reparations Act generally have 2 years, measured from the injury or the last reparation-benefit payment | Ky. Rev. Stat. § 413.140(1)(a); § 304.39-230(6) |
| Louisiana | 2 years Date-dependentFor delictual actions arising on or after July 1, 2024; earlier claims are generally subject to 1 year under Civ. Code art. 3492 | La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1 |
| Maine | 6 years | Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 752 |
| Maryland | 3 years | Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101 |
| Massachusetts | 3 years | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A |
| Michigan | 3 years | Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2) |
| Minnesota | 6 years for most negligence claims2 years for certain intentional torts, such as assault and battery | Minn. Stat. § 541.05, subd. 1(5); § 541.07(1) |
| Mississippi | 3 years | Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49 |
| Missouri | 5 years Verify current lawBills to shorten this period for claims accruing on or after August 28, 2026, were considered in the 2025 and 2026 sessions. Final enactment could not be confirmed at review; check the current text of § 516.120 before relying on this period. | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(4) |
| Montana | 3 years | Mont. Code Ann. § 27-2-204(1) |
| Nebraska | 4 years | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207 |
| Nevada | 2 years | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(4)(e) |
| New Hampshire | 3 years | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:4 |
| New Jersey | 2 years | N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:14-2 |
| New Mexico | 3 years | N.M. Stat. Ann. § 37-1-8 |
| New York | 3 years | N.Y. C.P.L.R. 214(5) |
| North Carolina | 3 years | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(16) |
| North Dakota | 6 years | N.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-16(5) |
| Ohio | 2 years | Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.10(A) |
| Oklahoma | 2 years | Okla. Stat. tit. 12, § 95(A)(3) |
| Oregon | 2 years | Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.110(1) |
| Pennsylvania | 2 years | 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5524(2) |
| Rhode Island | 3 years | R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-14(b) |
| South Carolina | 3 years | S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(5) |
| South Dakota | 3 years | S.D. Codified Laws § 15-2-14(3) |
| Tennessee | 1 yearLonger periods apply to certain injuries connected to specified criminal conduct | Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104(a)(1) |
| Texas | 2 years | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a) |
| Utah | 4 years | Utah Code Ann. § 78B-2-307 |
| Vermont | 3 years | Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 512(4) |
| Virginia | 2 years | Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-243(A) |
| Washington | 3 years | Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(2) |
| West Virginia | 2 years | W. Va. Code § 55-2-12 |
| Wisconsin | 3 years | Wis. Stat. § 893.54(1m) |
| Wyoming | 4 years | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 1-3-105(a)(iv)(C) |
| Washington, D.C. | 3 years | D.C. Code § 12-301(8) |
Sources: official state statutory codes. Statutory references link to official state government code websites; references for states whose official code is published only through a commercial host appear as plain text. Statutes are amended regularly, so always check the current text and its effective date.
Important: The deadlines shown describe general filing rules. Different deadlines, accrual rules, notice requirements, statutes of repose, and exceptions may apply depending on the case and jurisdiction.
Legal Information Last Reviewed: October 8, 2026
For many ordinary injury claims, the limitations period begins when the claim legally "accrues," which is often the date of injury. That is not a universal rule. Depending on state law, accrual may turn on when legally relevant harm occurred, when an injury or its likely cause was discovered in qualifying circumstances, or on a specific statutory accrual provision. Because the start date controls the end date, a disagreement about accrual can change the deadline significantly.
Some jurisdictions and claim types use a discovery rule, under which the filing period may begin when an injury, or its connection to someone's conduct, was or reasonably should have been discovered. States apply this rule differently, and many ordinary accident claims do not qualify. Courts often ask whether the injured person used reasonable diligence. A separate statute of repose may still set an outer limit, so later discovery should never be assumed to extend a deadline automatically.
Some states pause or adjust deadlines for children's claims. Any extension depends on the specific statute and claim, and malpractice or government claims may follow other rules.
Certain statutes may toll the period while an injured person is legally incapacitated, subject to conditions and limits.
Discovery-based accrual may apply to specific claims when an injury could not reasonably have been known earlier.
Where a defendant intentionally concealed a claim, some jurisdictions allow added time in limited circumstances.
Some states toll deadlines when a defendant is absent from the state or in other defined situations.
Particular claims may carry their own accrual rules, repose periods, or exceptions.
Caution: Exceptions and tolling provisions are jurisdiction-specific and should never be assumed to apply automatically.
Yes. The legal theory, the defendant, and the governing statute matter more than the label on the accident. Injury type alone does not determine the applicable limitation period.
| Type of Claim | Important Filing Considerations |
|---|---|
| Car accident | Ordinary negligence deadlines may apply, but state-specific motor vehicle rules or government defendants can change requirements. |
| Truck accident | Requirements may depend on the defendants, the claim type, and the applicable law. |
| Motorcycle accident | General negligence limitation periods may apply, subject to relevant exceptions. |
| Slip and fall | Premises liability claims may follow ordinary injury deadlines, but public property can trigger notice rules. |
| Dog bite | Deadlines may differ depending on whether the claim is statutory or based on common law. |
| Medical malpractice | Special limitation periods, discovery rules, pre-suit notices, and repose periods may apply. |
| Product liability | Separate statutory rules and repose periods may apply. |
| Wrongful death | Often a separate claim with its own deadline, accrual date, and eligible claimants. |
| Government-related injury | Special notices, administrative procedures, and shortened deadlines may apply. |
Often, yes. Injury claims involving federal agencies, state agencies, counties, cities, municipal bodies, or government employees acting within the scope of employment may be governed by special statutes. Many require a written notice of claim or an administrative claim well before any lawsuit, sometimes within months of the injury. These steps are separate from the later lawsuit deadline, and both may need to be met.
Sovereign immunity rules also limit which claims are allowed. The Federal Tort Claims Act, for example, sets its own administrative-claim and filing framework for certain claims against the United States. Ordinary injury deadlines should never be assumed to apply to government claims.
An expired limitation period generally gives the defendant a strong defense and may prevent the lawsuit from going forward. The outcome still depends on the applicable law. The accrual date may be disputed, tolling may apply in qualifying circumstances, and special statutory provisions may be relevant. Courts sometimes must resolve these questions, so an apparent expiration should be reviewed rather than assumed.
There is no single nationwide deadline. Most states set two or three years for ordinary negligence claims, but the range runs from one to six years. The actual period depends on the jurisdiction, the type of claim, when it accrued, and whether any exception applies.
Car accident injury claims usually fall under negligence-based limitation rules, but some states have motor-vehicle-specific provisions. The deadline can also change if a government vehicle or employee is involved, or if exceptions apply, so it depends on the jurisdiction, claim, and defendants.
Many injury claims accrue at or near the time of injury, which is often the accident date. However, statutory accrual rules and, in qualifying cases, discovery rules can move the starting point. The start date should be confirmed under the law that governs the claim.
In some situations, yes. Tolling provisions for minors, legal incapacity, a defendant's absence, or fraudulent concealment may pause or delay the deadline where state law allows. These exceptions have specific conditions and are never automatic.
Some states pause the deadline until a child reaches adulthood or provide a separate period for minors' claims. Others limit or exclude that tolling. Medical malpractice and government claims involving minors are often governed by different provisions, so each situation needs specific review.
Often, yes. Wrongful death is usually a separate statutory claim with its own limitation period, accrual date, and rules on who may file. The period may run from the date of death rather than the date of injury, depending on the state.
They frequently involve earlier steps. Many government claims require a notice of claim or administrative filing within a short period, sometimes months, even though a later lawsuit deadline may also apply. Missing the notice step can affect the claim.
Generally, it should not be assumed to. Reporting a claim to an insurer or negotiating a settlement usually does not pause the court filing deadline. A specific statute or a valid written tolling agreement may affect the analysis in some cases.
Expiration can prevent a claim from proceeding if the defendant raises it as a defense. The outcome still depends on applicable law, the correct accrual date, and whether any tolling or exception is available, so the question may require legal review.
State comparison tables explain general filing rules, but the actual deadline in a case may depend on its facts, the claim type, the defendants, and the applicable law. Legal guidance may help when there is uncertainty about filing deadlines, accrual dates, government notice requirements, discovery rules, tolling provisions, or different types of claims. FindTheLawyers helps you explore personal injury lawyers by state or city, so a licensed attorney can review your situation.
Legal Disclaimer: This page provides general legal information only and is not individualized legal advice. Statutes of limitations vary by jurisdiction and claim type, and legal deadlines may change through statutory amendments, court decisions, accrual rules, and legally recognized exceptions. Special notice requirements may apply, and statutes of repose may create separate deadlines. A general state deadline does not necessarily apply to every injury claim, and no representation is made that the information here is complete or applies to any particular case. FindTheLawyers is not acting as your attorney, and using this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Confirm any relevant deadline with an appropriately qualified legal professional licensed in the applicable jurisdiction.
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