Personal Injury Statute of Limitations
Claims for physical harm caused by another party's negligence or intentional conduct — the most common civil filing category, and usually the fastest-ticking deadline.
Shortest
1
years, sourced states
Most Common
2
years, sourced states
Longest
6
years, sourced states
Figures reflect only the states sourced so far — they are not a national range until every jurisdiction is on file.
Filing window by state
State
Time Limit
Citation
What Does Personal Injury Cover?
01
Car and motorcycle accidents
02
Slip-and-fall and premises injuries
03
Dog bites and animal attacks
04
Injuries from another's negligence
05
Pedestrian and bicycle accidents
06
Workplace injuries not covered by workers' comp
Rules That Affect Your Deadline
Factors that can change when the clock starts or how much time you actually have.
01
Discovery rule exception
Some injuries aren't discovered right away — the clock can start on discovery instead of the incident date.
02
Government defendants
Suing a city, county, or state agency adds a separate, shorter notice requirement.
03
Minority tolling
If the injured party was a minor, the deadline generally doesn't start running until they turn 18.
Most Searched States for Personal Injury
Common Questions About Personal injury Deadlines
What is the statute of limitations for personal injury?
It depends on the state. Across the 51 jurisdictions with a verified figure, the deadline for personal injury ranges from 1 year to 6 years, and 2 years is the most common.
Which state has the shortest statute of limitations for personal injury?
Kentucky and Tennessee — 1 year.
Which state has the longest statute of limitations for personal injury?
Maine, Minnesota and North Dakota — 6 years.
Can the statute of limitations for personal injury be extended?
Sometimes. Common factors that change the deadline include: discovery rule exception; government defendants; minority tolling. How they apply varies by state.
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