Arizona Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims

The default deadline to file a personal injury lawsuit in Arizona is two years from the date the cause of action accrues, under A.R.S. Section 12-542. This statute covers actions for injuries done to the person of another, which includes most car accidents, slip-and-falls, and similar injury claims.

This is a default deadline, not an automatic rule that applies identically to every situation. Shorter and longer periods apply in specific situations, including claims against a public entity, claims involving a minor, and cases with their own accrual questions. A licensed attorney can confirm the deadline that applies to your specific case.

Missing this default window generally means losing the right to pursue a lawsuit for that injury entirely, regardless of the strength of the underlying claim. Arizona courts generally will not hear a case filed after the applicable deadline has passed, absent a recognized exception.

This two-year deadline applies broadly across personal injury claim types in Arizona, including car accidents, motorcycle and pedestrian collisions, and slip-and-fall injuries, since A.R.S. Section 12-542 is not limited to any single category of accident. What differs between claim types is the evidence and process involved, not the underlying default deadline itself.

The two-year period generally runs from the date the cause of action accrues, which for most accidents is the date of the crash, fall, or other incident. The clock generally starts running on that date, and the default deadline falls two years later.

Arizona law recognizes that accrual can depend on the specific facts of a case in some circumstances, particularly when an injury was not immediately apparent. Because how that concept applies depends heavily on the specific facts, this guide does not attempt to state how it applies beyond noting that it exists as a general concept in Arizona law.

Certain circumstances can also affect when the deadline begins to run or how long it lasts. These situations depend on the specific facts of the case, and a licensed attorney can confirm how they apply to your situation rather than assuming a general rule covers it.

Claims against an Arizona public entity, public school, or public employee, such as a city bus, a county-owned vehicle, or a state-maintained roadway, generally require a notice of claim to be filed within 180 days after the cause of action accrues, under A.R.S. Section 12-821.01. This is a separate, and considerably shorter, requirement than the two-year deadline that generally applies to a lawsuit against a private party.

Separately, A.R.S. Section 12-821 generally requires that a lawsuit against a public entity or public employee be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues. This one-year lawsuit deadline is shorter than the two-year default deadline that generally applies to claims against a private party, and it exists alongside, not instead of, the 180-day notice of claim requirement.

Because claims against a public entity involve two separate deadlines, both shorter than the general two-year window, and because shorter and longer periods can still apply depending on the situation, a licensed attorney can confirm both the applicable deadlines and the correct claim procedure for your situation.

A statute of limitations is a hard procedural cutoff, not a guideline. Once the applicable deadline passes without a lawsuit being filed, or without a notice of claim being submitted in situations where one is required, a court will generally dismiss the case if the other side raises the deadline as a defense, regardless of how strong the underlying facts are.

This is true even if settlement negotiations with an insurance company were ongoing right up until the deadline. Negotiating with an insurer does not pause or extend the statute of limitations on its own, so a claim can expire while discussions are still in progress if a lawsuit or required notice is not filed in time.

Because the consequences of missing a deadline are generally final, understanding which deadline applies to your specific situation, and confirming it with a licensed attorney, is one of the more consequential steps in protecting a potential claim.

The deadlines described on this page are default deadlines. Arizona law recognizes that shorter and longer periods can apply depending on the specific situation, including who is involved, what type of claim is being made, and the specific facts of when and how a cause of action accrued.

Situations that can affect the applicable deadline include claims involving a minor, claims against a public entity, and cases with their own specific accrual questions. Insurance policies can also carry their own internal notice and claim-filing deadlines, which are separate from, and sometimes shorter than, the legal statute of limitations for a lawsuit.

Because these exceptions depend heavily on the specific facts of a case, this page intentionally does not attempt to describe how each one applies. A licensed attorney can confirm the deadline for your case based on the specific circumstances involved.

This is also why it is worth confirming your deadline even if you believe your situation is straightforward. A claim that initially appears to involve only a private party can turn out to involve a public entity vehicle, a public roadway, or another factor that changes which deadline actually applies.

Arizona and California both use a two-year default deadline for a standard personal injury lawsuit against a private party, which makes the core timeline similar for someone dealing with an accident near the state border or unsure which state's law might apply.

The two states diverge more clearly when a government or public entity is involved. California generally requires a government claim within six months, while Arizona generally requires a notice of claim within 180 days and a lawsuit within one year, a structure with two separate deadlines rather than one. Because these procedural requirements differ, and because which state's law applies depends on where the incident occurred and other specific facts, confirming the correct deadline for a cross-border or unclear situation is best done with a licensed attorney.

This page focuses specifically on Arizona's deadlines. For the equivalent California deadlines, see the companion guide covering California's statute of limitations.

Someone dealing with an accident that could touch either state, such as a crash near the Arizona-California border or an injury involving parties from both states, should treat the question of which state's law applies as a threshold issue to resolve early, since it can change both the applicable deadline and the required claim procedure.

If you are dealing with a potential personal injury claim in Arizona, understanding which deadline applies to your situation is one of the first practical steps. Because the consequences of missing a deadline are generally final, this is not a determination to make on your own based on general information alone.

Gathering and preserving evidence early, including the date of the incident, any records related to it, and details about the parties involved, can help support a claim regardless of which deadline ultimately applies.

Consult a licensed attorney to confirm the specific deadline that applies to your situation, particularly if a public entity may be involved, if a minor is affected, or if there is any question about when your claim accrued. This is educational information, not legal advice, and every situation involves its own set of facts.