Truck Accident Statute of Limitations by State
A statute of limitations is the legal deadline for filing a lawsuit. Miss it, and a court will almost certainly dismiss your case — no matter how strong the evidence. Truck accident deadlines are set by each state and generally apply to personal injury claims arising from the crash.
Important
- The table below shows general personal injury filing periods — not truck-accident-specific law, and not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney in your state.
- Laws change. Legislatures amend these periods from time to time (Florida shortened its deadline in 2023, for example).
- Wrongful death deadlines are often shorter and calculated differently — typically from the date of death, not the accident.
- Claims against a government entity (e.g., a public road authority) usually require a formal notice of claim within months, far shorter than the general deadline.
- Minors and certain other circumstances can pause ("toll") the deadline in some states.
| State | General injury filing deadline |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 2 years |
| Alaska | 2 years |
| Arizona | 2 years |
| Arkansas | 3 years |
| California | 2 years |
| Colorado | 2–3 years |
| Connecticut | 2 years |
| Delaware | 2 years |
| Florida | 2 years |
| Georgia | 2 years |
| Hawaii | 2 years |
| Idaho | 2 years |
| Illinois | 2 years |
| Indiana | 2 years |
| Iowa | 2 years |
| Kansas | 2 years |
| Kentucky | 1 year |
| Louisiana | 1 year |
| Maine | 6 years |
| Maryland | 3 years |
| Massachusetts | 3 years |
| Michigan | 3 years |
| Minnesota | 2–6 years |
| Mississippi | 3 years |
| Missouri | 5 years |
| Montana | 3 years |
| Nebraska | 4 years |
| Nevada | 2 years |
| New Hampshire | 3 years |
| New Jersey | 2 years |
| New Mexico | 3 years |
| New York | 3 years |
| North Carolina | 3 years |
| North Dakota | 6 years |
| Ohio | 2 years |
| Oklahoma | 2 years |
| Oregon | 2 years |
| Pennsylvania | 2 years |
| Rhode Island | 3 years |
| South Carolina | 3 years |
| South Dakota | 3 years |
| Tennessee | 1 year |
| Texas | 2 years |
| Utah | 4 years |
| Vermont | 3 years |
| Virginia | 2 years |
| Washington | 3 years |
| West Virginia | 2 years |
| Wisconsin | 3 years |
| Wyoming | 4 years |
| Washington, D.C. | 3 years |
Why you shouldn't wait until the deadline
The legal filing deadline is the outer limit — not a safe target. Evidence that makes or breaks a truck accident case disappears far sooner:
- Electronic logging device (ELD) records are only required to be retained for 6 months
- Black box (EDR) data can be overwritten during normal truck operation within weeks
- Dashcam and surveillance footage is frequently deleted on short retention cycles
- Witness memories fade, and witnesses become harder to locate over time
See how this evidence works on our FMCSA regulations & evidence page, and what to do right after a crash on our what to do after a truck accident guide.
Get a free case review before time runs out
If you're unsure how much time you have left, don't guess — a free case review can connect you with a big rig truck accident lawyer who can confirm your state's actual deadline and any exceptions that may apply to your situation.
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