{"id":371271,"date":"2016-03-31T21:34:18","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:34:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/accident-and-injury-laws\/civil-statute-of-limitations-laws.html"},"modified":"2025-06-19T10:03:38","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T15:03:38","slug":"civil-statute-of-limitations-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/accident-and-injury-laws\/civil-statute-of-limitations-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"State Civil Statute of Limitations Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n \n State Civil Statute of Limitations Laws\n <\/h1>\n \n Learn about your state’s laws by using the links below.\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

A statute of limitations dictates how long a plaintiff has to file a personal injury lawsuit. To help you with finding the statute of limitations period for your state, we have provided links below for state-specific statutes of limitations.<\/p>\r\n

Select your state from the list below for state-specific statutes of limitations<\/a> for different types of civil cases, including personal injury, medical malpractice<\/a>, wrongful death, and more.<\/p>\r\n

Why Knowing Your State\u2019s Statutes of Limitations Is Important<\/h2>\r\n

Legislators implement statutes of limitations for several reasons. The primary reason is that it ensures that judges and juries make decisions based on fresh evidence<\/a>. Over time, people\u2019s memories deteriorate and change, and the courts don\u2019t expect witnesses to remember things from years prior.<\/p>\r\n

Another reason the courts impose filing deadlines on civil causes of action<\/a> is so that plaintiffs can\u2019t hold a potential lawsuit over the heads of would-be defendants forever. It’s not reasonable for a person to wait an inordinate amount of time to see if somebody will sue them.<\/p>\r\n

If you aren\u2019t familiar with your state\u2019s civil statutes of limitations, you risk losing your chance to pursue damages<\/a>. Not knowing about a three-year statute of limitations for car accidents may cause you to believe you have more time to file your civil action, only to have the judge dismiss it for untimely filing.<\/p>\r\n

Start Times for Civil Statutes of Limitations<\/h2>\r\n

The civil statute of limitations begins on the date of the injury. There are a few exceptions to this rule. One important exception is something called the discovery rule<\/a>. Under this rule, the statute of limitations period doesn\u2019t begin until the plaintiff discovers, or should have discovered, the existence of the injury.<\/p>\r\n

The discovery rule applies to cases involving latent injuries, such as asbestosis or mesothelioma<\/a>. It may also apply to cases involving medical malpractice. Any type of claim involving a latent injury may qualify for this exception.<\/p>\r\n

In cases where it\u2019s reasonable for the claimant to discover their injury much later than the date of the event, the court may toll<\/a> the statute of limitations. Tolling means that the clock doesn\u2019t start until the plaintiff discovers their injuries. It makes sense that the injured person wouldn\u2019t file their legal action until they know they\u2019ve suffered an injury.<\/p>\r\n

Types of Cases With a Specific Statute of Limitations<\/h2>\r\n

Most states have laws that impose a statute of limitations on specific types of cases. They also have a general rule that civil actions that don\u2019t have a particular filing deadline have a default statute of limitations period.<\/p>\r\n

The type of claims<\/a> that usually have a specific filing time limit include:<\/p>\r\n