A statute of limitations is a strict statutory deadline for initiating a civil lawsuit. If you fail to file a formal complaint in the proper court before the clock expires, your claim is permanently barred, regardless of how catastrophic the injury or clear the liability.
State-by-State Variations in Deadlines
Most state statutes of limitations for general negligence and car accidents range from 1 to 4 years from the date of injury. For example, Tennessee and Louisiana enforce a 1-year deadline, California and Texas enforce 2 years, while Florida and New York enforce 2 to 3 years.
The Discovery Rule Exception
Under the discovery rule, the statutory clock is tolled (paused) until the plaintiff discovered—or through reasonable diligence should have discovered—the injury and its negligent cause. This rule commonly applies in toxic exposure and medical device defect claims.
Strict Government Entity Notice Deadlines
If your injury involved a municipal bus, city road defect, public school, or government employee, special tort claims acts require filing a formal administrative claim within 30 to 180 days of the incident.