Arizona Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury — What You Need to Know

If you've been injured in Arizona, the clock starts ticking the moment the accident happens. Statutes of limitation are absolute deadlines — once they pass, even a perfect case is permanently barred.

Standard personal injury: 2 years For most car, truck, motorcycle, slip-and-fall, dog bite, and premises liability cases, you have two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit.

Workers' compensation: 1 year Industrial Commission claims must be filed within one year of the injury or, for occupational illnesses, within one year of when you knew or should have known the condition was work-related.

Government claims: 180 days Claims against a city, county, or state agency require a Notice of Claim within 180 days. The lawsuit itself must be filed within one year. This is the most commonly missed deadline.

Wrongful death: 2 years Measured from the date of death, not the date of the underlying injury.

Product liability and medical malpractice Generally two years, but the discovery rule can extend the deadline when the injury is not immediately apparent.

When the clock can be tolled - Injured party is a minor (the clock typically does not start until age 18) - The defendant leaves Arizona - The injured person is incapacitated

What to do Don't rely on these summaries — call an attorney as soon as possible. We routinely take cases just days before deadlines, but the earlier we're involved, the more we can do to preserve evidence and build value.