{"id":376060,"date":"2016-04-11T01:23:52","date_gmt":"2016-04-11T06:23:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/pennsylvania-law\/pennsylvania-statute-of-limitations-for-defective-products.html"},"modified":"2025-05-23T14:41:22","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T19:41:22","slug":"pennsylvania-statute-of-limitations-for-defective-products","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/pennsylvania-law\/pennsylvania-statute-of-limitations-for-defective-products.html","title":{"rendered":"Pennsylvania Statute of Limitations for Defective Products"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Pennsylvania Statute of Limitations for Defective Products<\/h1>\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n | Last updated\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

When an individual or entity causes property damage or a personal injury, the injured party can file a civil lawsuit against them. One common type of personal injury case is a product liability lawsuit.<\/p>\r\n

A person files a product liability claim when injured while using a product or service. Typically, these cases involve defective products, such as toys, motor vehicles, and household goods. There are also many civil lawsuits involving dangerous drugs and defective medical devices.<\/p>\r\n

If you decide to sue the manufacturer of the defective product, you must do so before the statute of limitations expires. The statute of limitations limits how long a person has to file a civil complaint<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

This article examines Pennsylvania\u2019s statutes of limitations for defective products. If you don\u2019t file your claim within the statute of limitations period, you\u2019ll lose your chance to pursue damages.<\/p>\r\n

When Does the Statute of Limitations Period Start in Pennsylvania?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

In most cases, the two-year statute of limitations period starts on the date of injury<\/a>. For example, if you\u2019re mowing the lawn and end up with a severe laceration on your leg, the clock starts running on the day you suffered the injury.<\/p>\r\n

In other cases, the start date is harder to determine. People suffering from asbestosis or mesothelioma from asbestos exposure have no idea exactly when the exposure began. For situations like this, Pennsylvania\u2019s \u201cDiscovery Rule\u201d would apply.<\/p>\r\n

The discovery rule<\/a> is one of only two exceptions to Pennsylvania\u2019s product liability statute of limitations deadlines. In asbestos exposure cases, the clock does not start until the plaintiff receives a diagnosis from a licensed physician.<\/p>\r\n

Another exception applies in defective construction cases. Under Pennsylvania\u2019s product liability laws, if a person suffers an injury, death, or property damage due to defective construction, they have 12 years from the date the construction ends to file their civil claim. This is because Pennsylvania law allows for a statute of repose in this type of case.<\/p>\r\n

Types of Defective Product Claims<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

There are three types of defective product lawsuits in Pennsylvania. Regardless of which type of claim the injured person files, they\u2019ll only have two years to file their civil lawsuit.<\/p>\r\n

The types of defects that exist under product liability law<\/a> include:<\/p>\r\n