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The Deadline for Filing a Personal Injury Claim in Arizona
Arizona law gives injury victims two years to file a personal injury lawsuit under A.R.S. § 12-542.
Miss this deadline in Arizona and you could lose your right to take legal action permanently.
In Arizona, the deadline applies to most car accidents, slip and falls, truck wrecks, premises liability cases, wrongful death matters, and other personal injury actions.
You only have a limited amount of time to bring a legal action to recover your damages.
If you have a personal injury matter, speak with an experienced Arizona personal injury attorney as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.
Key Deadlines for Filing Injury Claims in Arizona
- 2-year deadline from the date of injury for most personal injury claims under A.R.S. § 12-542
- The time limit counting on the date of injury
- Discovery rule applies when injuries aren't immediately apparent
- Exceptions exist for minors, mental incapacity, absent defendants, and fraudulent concealment
- Speak with an experienced Arizona personal injury attorney immediately to protect your legal rights
What are the Exceptions to Arizona's Statute of Limitations
Arizona law provides several exceptions that can extend your filing deadline beyond the standard two years, depending on the facts of your case.
In addition to the time limit exceptions there are distinct administrative deadlines that must be met.
Consult an experienced injury attorney to make sure your ability to take legal action isn't barred by the courts.
What is Statute of Limitations Tolling?
Tolling pauses the statute of limitations clock under specific legal circumstances.
The filing deadline stops running during the tolling period and resumes when the tolling condition ends.
- Claims Involving Hidden Injuries (Discovery Rule) The two-year clock starts when you discover the injury or reasonably should have discovered it through diligent investigation. This more often arises in cases involving medical malpractice, toxic exposure, and latent injuries.
- Claims Involving Minors Under Age 18 The filing deadline doesn't run while the victim is under 18. Injured children have until their 20th birthday to file under A.R.S. § 12-502. Parents can file on behalf of minor children, but the child keeps independent lawsuit rights after turning 18.
- Claims Involving Mental Incapacity Severe mental incapacity on behalf of the plaintiff pauses the deadline under A.R.S. § 12-502. Traumatic brain injury, court-adjudicated incompetence, and similar conditions qualify. Clock resumes when competency returns or a legal guardian is appointed. Requires medical documentation proving incapacity prevented understanding legal rights.
- Claims Involving Absent Defendants Statute tolls if the defendant leaves the state or conceals their location. Clock pauses during the entire absence period. Must prove the absence prevented proper service of legal process documents.
- Claims Involving Public Entities If your personal injury action is against the state or a local government, there are different procedures involved. Taking legal action against the state or government entity requires filing a notice of claim within 180 days under A.R.S. § 12-821. This applies to state agencies, counties, cities, schools, transit authorities, and all public entities. The 180-day notice requirement comes before filing any lawsuit.
Contact Our Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys to Discuss Taking Legal Action Now
Every personal injury case is unique and it's skillful personal injury attorney representation who can advise you regarding the statute of limitations in your matter is critical to obtain a successful outcome.
Our Arizona personal injury lawyers provide a free case evaluation for injury victims throughout the state.
Find out what your case may be worth and what the first steps are to file a lawsuit.
You pay nothing unless we win your case.
The Arizona 2-year statute of limitations for personal injury cases is a hard deadline.
If you fail to meet it, you are barred from taking legal action.
We can help you investigate your claim, collect the necessary evidence, and prepare your lawsuit.
At Lawsuit Legal, our experienced injury attorneys have a hard won reputation for winning landmark settlements and know exactly what it takes to win big.
Let us help you with your personal injury matter and we'll fight to get you paid as much as possible as fast as possible.
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