Deadlines · Updated
Your state’s deadline to file an injury lawsuit
If you miss your state’s deadline, you can lose the right to be paid at all. Pick your state to see its usual deadline, the common exceptions and its fault rule. Where we haven’t checked a deadline against the official text yet, we say so. This is general information, not legal advice.
Pick your state
The usual deadline for most injury lawsuits, and how shared fault is counted. “Not checked yet” means we haven’t checked it against the official text, so ask a lawyer. Some cases have shorter deadlines, so open your state’s page for the exceptions, each with its source.
| State | Usual deadline to file | If you were partly at fault |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Not checked yet | Contributory (any fault bars) |
| Alaska | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Arizona | 2 years | Pure comparative |
| Arkansas | Not checked yet | Barred at 50% |
| California | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Colorado | 2 years | Barred at 50% |
| Connecticut | Not checked yet | Barred above 50% |
| Delaware | Not checked yet | Barred above 50% |
| District of Columbia | Not checked yet | Contributory (any fault bars) |
| Florida | 2 years | 51% bar |
| Georgia | Not checked yet | 50% bar |
| Hawaii | Not checked yet | 51% bar |
| Idaho | Not checked yet | 50% bar |
| Illinois | Not checked yet | 51% bar |
| Indiana | Not checked yet | 51% bar |
| Iowa | Not checked yet | 51% bar |
| Kansas | Not checked yet | 50% bar |
| Kentucky | 1 year | Pure comparative (pre-2026) |
| Louisiana | Not checked yet | 51% bar (from Jan. 1, 2026) |
| Maine | Not checked yet | Equal-fault bar (50%) |
| Maryland | Not checked yet | Contributory |
| Massachusetts | Not checked yet | 51% bar |
| Michigan | 3 years (2 for medical mistakes) | Modified: no noneconomic if plaintiff's fault exceeds others' combined |
| Minnesota | 6 years (4 for medical mistakes; 3 for a death) | 51% bar (vs. each defendant) |
| Mississippi | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Missouri | 5 years (2 for medical mistakes; 3 for a death) | Not checked yet |
| Montana | 3 years | 51% bar |
| Nebraska | 4 years (2 for a death) | 50% bar |
| Nevada | 2 years | 51% bar |
| New Hampshire | Not checked yet | Barred above 50% |
| New Jersey | 2 years | 51% bar |
| New Mexico | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| New York | 3 years (2 years 6 months for medical mistakes; 2 for a death) | Pure comparative |
| North Carolina | 3 years (2 for a death) | Contributory negligence |
| North Dakota | 6 years (2 for medical mistakes; 2 for a death) | Barred at 50% |
| Ohio | 2 years (1 for medical mistakes) | Barred above 50% |
| Oklahoma | 2 years | Barred above 50% |
| Oregon | 2 years (3 for a death) | Barred above 50% |
| Pennsylvania | 2 years | Barred above 50% |
| Rhode Island | 3 years | Pure comparative |
| South Carolina | 3 years | Barred above 50% |
| South Dakota | 3 years (2 for medical mistakes) | Slight/gross comparative negligence |
| Tennessee | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Texas | 2 years | Barred above 50% |
| Utah | Not checked yet | Modified 50% bar |
| Vermont | 3 years (2 for a death) | Modified 51% bar |
| Virginia | 2 years | Not checked yet |
| Washington | 3 years | Pure comparative fault |
| West Virginia | 2 years | Modified 51% bar |
| Wisconsin | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Wyoming | 4 years (2 for medical mistakes; 2 for a death) | Modified 51% bar |
When you’re ready
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