How long you have to file a personal injury lawsuit depends entirely on where the injury happened. Deadlines range from just 1 year in Kentucky and Tennessee to 6 years in Maine, Minnesota, and North Dakota — a 6x difference for the exact same type of claim. The table below compares the general personal injury statute of limitations for all 50 states and Washington DC.
⚠️ These are general negligence / personal injury deadlines. Many states apply a different, sometimes shorter, statute of limitations to specific claim types — medical malpractice, claims against a government agency, wrongful death, and (in some states) motor vehicle accidents specifically can each follow their own rule. Always confirm the deadline for your specific claim type and state before assuming the general figure applies.
| State ⇅ | Deadline ⇅ | Statute | Guide |
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Why the Deadline Varies So Much by State
Each state legislature sets its own statute of limitations independently, based on its own civil procedure code — there's no federal standard for personal injury deadlines. Two years is the most common choice, used by roughly half the states, reflecting a general policy balance between giving injured people reasonable time to pursue a claim and giving defendants (and courts) certainty that old claims won't resurface indefinitely. States with 1-year deadlines prioritize speed and certainty; states with 5-6 year deadlines prioritize giving claimants more room, particularly for injuries that take time to fully understand.
What Can Change Your Deadline
The general figure in the table is a starting point, not a guarantee. Several things can shift the actual deadline that applies to your case:
- Who was injured — most states pause ("toll") the clock while the injured person is a minor, often restarting it around their 18th birthday.
- Who caused the injury — claims against a city, county, state, or federal agency almost always carry a much shorter notice deadline (sometimes 90 days to 6 months) that runs separately from the standard statute of limitations.
- What kind of claim it is — medical malpractice, wrongful death, and product liability often have their own distinct deadlines, sometimes with an additional outer "statute of repose" that isn't tolled for anyone.
- When the injury was discovered — some states apply a "discovery rule" that delays the start of the clock until a reasonable person would have discovered the injury, for harms that aren't immediately obvious.
💡 Twelve of the states below already have a full, in-depth InjuryCalc.org guide covering minors, government claims, and other exceptions specific to that state — look for the "Read Guide" link in the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which state has the shortest personal injury statute of limitations?
Kentucky and Tennessee, at 1 year from the date of injury.
Which state gives you the most time to file?
Maine, Minnesota, and North Dakota all allow 6 years.
What is the most common personal injury statute of limitations?
Two years — used by roughly half of all states.
Does my state have a different deadline for car accidents specifically?
In some states, yes. Confirm the exact rule for your claim type rather than assuming the general figure applies.
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