Statutes of limitation (also known as "SOL") vary from state to state. In general, they limit the amount of time an injury victim has to file a lawsuit. Failure to timely and properly file suit within the applicable limitation period may forever bar your claim. But, only an experienced attorney can determine how any particular statute may affect you and your potential case.
If you have been injured and believe that you may have a case against an individual, corporation, or other entity, it is very important that you do not delay in seeking legal representation. You may seek legal representation through your local bar association's lawyer referral program, by contacting an attorney associated with InjuryBoard or by asking friends and family for recommendations.
Statutes of limitations on the various torts and other elements listed below are offered by InjuryBoard as general consumer guidelines only, and under no circumstances are to be construed as legal advice. Plaintiffs wishing to bring a cause of action sounding in tort are strongly advised to consult with an attorney regarding the specifics of their case to determine exact statutes of limitations.
The calculation of the limitation period is often not a simple matter. It is sometimes complicated by circumstances which may toll (delay) the limitation date. Additionally, some states have special rules regarding minors, and many states require victims to provide advance notice of their intent to file suit. Some of these notice periods can be as short as a few months (these are not reflected below).
Statutes of limitations are also frequently changed from state to state by individual state legislatures, therefore plaintiffs should confer with local counsel on specific causes of action to determine the applicable statute.
For these and other reasons, the determination of the limitation period is not something a layperson should attempt to undertake. Consult an attorney. Do not rely on the information below.
Alabama
4 years Breach of Warranty
2 years Personal Injury
2 years Malpractice
6 years Contracts-Written
6 years Contracts-Oral
6 years Property Damage
Alaska
4 years Breach of Express Warranty
2 years Personal Injury
2 years Malpractice
3 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Contracts-Written
6 years Real Property Damage
2 years Personal Property Damage
Arizona
2 years Personal Injury
2 years Malpractice
6 years Contracts-Written
3 years Contracts-Oral
2 years Property Damage
4 years Breach of Implied Warranty
Arkansas
2 years Personal Injury
3 years Malpractice
3 years Strict Products Liability
5 years Contracts-Written
3 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Property Damage
3 years Breach of Warranty
California
4 years Breach of Warranty
2 years Personal Injury
2 years Malpractice
4 years Contracts-Written
2 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Property Damage
Colorado
3 years Breach of Warranty
2 years Personal Injury
2 years Malpractice
6 years Contracts-Written
6 years Contracts-Oral
2 years Property Damage
Connecticut
3 years Products Liability
2 years Personal Injury
3 years Malpractice
6 years Contracts-Written
3 years Contracts-Oral
2 years Property Damage
Delaware
4 years Breach of Implied Warranty
2 years Personal Injury
3 years Malpractice
3 years Contracts-Written
3 years Contracts-Oral
2 years Property Damage
Washington, D.C.
4 years Breach of Warranty
3 years Personal Injury
3 years Malpractice
3 years Contracts-Written
3 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Property Damage
3 years Breach of Warranty
3 years Products Liability
Florida
5 years Breach of Express Warranty
4 years Strict Products Liability
4 years Negligence
4 years Breach of Implied Warranty
4 years Personal Injury
2 years Malpractice
5 years Contracts-Written
4 years Contracts-Oral
4 years Property Damage
Georgia
2 years Personal Injury
2 years Malpractice
6 years Contracts-Written
4 years Contracts-Oral
4 years Property Damage
4 years Breach of Warranty
Hawai’i
4 years Breach of Implied Warranty
2 years Personal Injury
2 years Malpractice
6 years Contracts-Written
6 years Contracts-Oral
2 years Property Damage
Idaho
2 years Personal Injury
2 years Malpractice
5 years Contracts-Written
4 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Property Damage
Illinois
4 years Breach of Warranty
2 years Personal Injury
2 years Malpractice
10 years Contracts-Written
5 years Contracts-Oral
5 years Property Damage
Indiana
4 years Breach of Warranty
2 years Personal Injury
1 year Malpractice
10 years Contracts-Written
6 years Contracts-Oral
6 years Real property Damage
2 years Personal Property Damage
Iowa
10 years Breach of Warranty
2 years Personal Injury
5 years Malpractice
10 years Contracts-Written
5 years Contracts-Oral
5 years Property Damage
5 years Breach of Implied Warranty
Kansas
2 years Personal Injury
2 years Malpractice
5 years Contracts-Written
3 years Contracts-Oral
2 years Property Damage
Kentucky
4 years Breach of Warranty
1 year Personal Injury
1 year Malpractice
15 years Contracts-Written
5 years Contracts-Oral
5 years Real Property Damage
2 years Personal Property Damage
Maine
6 years Strict Products Liability
6 years Personal Injury
6 years Malpractice
6 years Contracts-Written
6 years Contracts-Oral
6 years Property Damage
6 years Negligence
6 years Breach of Warranty
Maryland
4 years Breach of Warranty
3 years Negligence
3 years Personal Injury
3 years Malpractice
3 years Contracts-Written
3 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Strict Products liability
3 years Wrongful death
3 years Property Damage
Massachusetts
4 years Fraud
3 years Personal Injury
3 years Malpractice
3 years Negligence
3 years Breach of warranty
6 years Contracts-Written
6 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Property Damage
3 years Wrongful Death
Michigan
6 years Wrongful Death
3 years Personal Injury
2 years Malpractice
6 years Contracts-Written
6 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Negligence
3 years Products Liability
3 years Breach of implied Warranty
Minnesota
6 years Negligence
4 years Breach of Warranty
4 years Strict Products Liability
3 years Wrongful death
2 years Personal Injury
6 years Malpractice
6 years Contracts-Written
6 years Contracts-Oral
6 years Property Damage
Mississippi
6 years Breach of warranty
3 years Negligence
3 years Personal Injury
3 years Malpractice
3 years Contracts-Written
3 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Strict products liability
3 years Products liability
3 years Property Damage
Missouri
5 years Personal Injury
5 years Negligence
5 years Strict Products Liability
5 years Breach of Warranty
3 years Wrongful Death
5 years Malpractice
5 years Contracts-Written
5 years Contracts-Oral
5 years Property Damage
Montana
4 years Breach of Express Warranty
3 years Personal Injury
3 years Malpractice
8 years Contracts-Written
5 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Negligence
3 years Wrongful Death
3 years Products Liability
2 years Property Damage
3 years Breach of Implied Warranty
3 years Personal Injury
Nebraska
4 years Products Liability
2 years Personal Injury
5 years Contracts-Written
4 years Contracts-Oral
4 years Property Damage
2 years Malpractice
4 years Negligence
4 years Strict Products Liability
4 years Breach of warranty
New Hampshire
4 years Breach of Warranty
3 years Negligence
3 years Personal Injury
3 years Malpractice
3 years Contracts-Written
3 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Property Damage
3 years Strict Products Liability
New Mexico
4 years Breach of Warranty
3 years Personal Injury
4 years Malpractice
6 years Contracts-Written
4 years Contracts-Oral
4 years Property Damage
3 years Wrongful Death
3 years Strict Products Liability
3 years Personal Injury
3 years Negligence
New York
4 years Breach of Warranty
3 years Personal Injury
6 years Contracts-Written
6 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Property Damage
3 years Negligence
3 years Products Liability
3 years Strict Products Liability
North Carolina
3 years Personal Injury
3 years Malpractice
3 years Products Liability
3 years Negligence
3 years Contracts-Written
3 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Property Damage
3 years Breach of Warranty
North Dakota
6 years Strict Products Liability
6 years Negligence
4 years Breach of Warranty
6 years Personal Injury
6 years Contracts-Written
6 years Contracts-Oral
6 years Property Damage
Oklahoma
5 years Breach of Warranty
2 years Personal Injury
2 years Malpractice
5 years Contracts-Written
3 years Contracts-Oral
2 years Personal Property
Oregon
3 years Wrongful Death
2 years Personal Injury
2 years Malpractice
6 years Contracts-Written
6 years Contracts-Oral
6 years Property Damage
Pennsylvania
4 years Breach of Warranty
2 years Personal Injury
6 years Malpractice
4 years Contracts-Written
4 years Contracts-Oral
2 years Property Damage
Rhode Island
3 years Malpractice
3 years Personal Injury
10 years Contracts-Written
10 years Contracts-Oral
10 years Property Damage
3 years Strict Products Liability
3 years Negligence
3 years Wrongful Death
3 years Breach of Warranty
3 years Personal Injury
South Carolina
3 years Personal Injury
3 years Wrongful Death
3 years Products Liability
3 years Malpractice
3 years Contracts-Written
3 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Property Damage
South Dakota
4 years Breach of Warranty
3 years Strict Products Liability
3 years Personal Injury
3 years Products Liability
3 years Negligence
3 years Malpractice
6 years Contracts-Written
6 years Contracts-Oral
6 years Property Damage
Tennessee
1 year Personal Injury
1 year Malpractice
6 years Contracts-Written
6 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Property Damage
4 years Wrongful Death
4 years Breach of Warranty
Texas
2 years Personal Injury
2 years Malpractice
4 years Breach of Warranty
4 years Contracts-Written
4 years Contracts-Oral
2 years Property Damage
Utah
4 years Personal Injury
4 years Breach of Warranty
4 years Negligence
Vermont
4 years Breach of Warranty
3 years Negligence
3 years Strict Products Liability
3 years Personal Injury
6 years Malpractice
6 years Contracts-Written
4 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Property Damage
Washington
3 years Products Liability
3 years Personal Injury
4 years Malpractice
6 years Contracts-Written
3 years Contracts-Oral
3 years Property Damage
Wisconsin
3 years Personal Injury
3 years Malpractice
6 years Contracts-Written
6 years Contracts-Oral
6 years Property Damage
3 years Wrongful death
3 years Strict Products Liability
3 years Negligence
Wyoming
4 years Negligence
4 years Personal Injury
2 years Malpractice
10 years Contracts-Written
8 years Contracts-Oral
4 years Breach of warranty
4 years Strict products liability