The statute of limitations is the legally prescribed time period within which a plaintiff must file a lawsuit after suffering an injury. These deadlines vary significantly by jurisdiction and case type, making accurate calendar management critical for personal injury practice management.
For most personal injury claims, statutes of limitations range from one to six years, depending on the state and circumstances. Key variations include: general injury claims (typically 2-4 years); wrongful death claims (often 1-3 years); claims against government entities (may be as short as 6 months to 1 year); and cases involving minors (clock may not start until reaching majority).
Beyond the statute of limitations, practitioners must also track the statute of repose, which sets absolute deadlines on certain types of claims regardless of when the injury was discovered. Discovery rules may extend deadlines when injuries were not immediately apparent, though many states have shortened or eliminated discovery exceptions.
Failure to file within the applicable period typically results in complete bar to recovery, making statute tracking one of the most critical workflow elements in PI practice. Automated intake systems can flag statute concerns immediately upon lead receipt, ensuring no viable claims are lost to timing errors.