Find a lawyer
Free toolsHow it worksAfter an accidentInjury typesDeadlinesQuestionsFor attorneysInsurance callsChoosing a lawyerFind a lawyer, free

Personal injury filing deadlines by state.

The time limit to file an injury lawsuit is called the statute of limitations. Miss it and a claim is usually lost. Find your state below.

All states

StateGeneral limitNotes
Alabama2 years
Alaska2 years
Arizona2 years
Arkansas3 years
California2 years
Colorado2 yearsCar crash injuries get 3 years.
Connecticut2 years
Delaware2 years
District of Columbia3 years
Florida2 yearsTwo years applies to injuries on or after March 24, 2023. Earlier injuries had 4.
Georgia2 years
Hawaii2 years
Idaho2 years
Illinois2 years
Indiana2 years
Iowa2 years
Kansas2 years
Kentucky1 yearCar crash injuries get 2 years.
Louisiana2 yearsInjuries before July 1, 2024 had 1 year.
Maine6 years
Maryland3 years
Massachusetts3 years
Michigan3 years
Minnesota6 yearsSome claim types are shorter.
Mississippi3 years
Missouri5 years
Montana3 years
Nebraska4 years
Nevada2 years
New Hampshire3 years
New Jersey2 years
New Mexico3 years
New York3 yearsClaims against New York City generally need a notice of claim within 90 days.
North Carolina3 years
North Dakota6 years
Ohio2 years
Oklahoma2 years
Oregon2 years
Pennsylvania2 yearsClaims against a government body can need written notice in as little as 6 months.
Rhode Island3 years
South Carolina3 years
South Dakota3 years
Tennessee1 year
Texas2 years
Utah4 years
Vermont3 years
Virginia2 years
Washington3 years
West Virginia2 years
Wisconsin3 years
Wyoming4 years

If a city, county, state agency, school, or public transit was involved, the deadline to give written notice is often much shorter, sometimes 30 to 180 days. Ask an attorney right away.

General limits for most negligence injury claims, last reviewed November 2026. Exceptions apply for children, government bodies, medical claims, workplace injuries, and cases where the injury was found later. This is not legal advice.