Important: This tool provides deadline calculations based on published court rules. Results are not legal advice. Always verify deadlines with the applicable court rules and consult with counsel when in doubt.

Calculate Deadline

Enter the case details to calculate the court deadline

Start Date *

Days to Add *

Count Type

Options

General Personal Injury Statutes

Statute of limitations for general personal injury claims by state

California2 years

Texas2 years

New York3 years

Florida4 years

Illinois2 years

Pennsylvania2 years

* From date of injury or discovery of injury under discovery rule

Medical Malpractice Statutes

Specialized medical malpractice limitation periods

California3 years / 1 year discovery

Texas2 years / 2 years discovery

New York2.5 years

Florida2 years / 4 years discovery

Illinois2 years / 4 years discovery

Pennsylvania2 years / 7 years repose

* Subject to continuing treatment doctrine and repose periods

Special Deadlines & Notice Requirements

Critical short deadlines and special filing requirements

Government Entity Claims

California: 6 months claim presentation to public entity
Texas: 6 months notice to governmental unit
New York: 90 days notice of claim to municipality
Florida: 3 years (same as private parties)
Federal Tort Claims: 2 years from discovery

Wrongful Death Statutes

California: 2 years from date of death
Texas: 2 years from date of death
New York: 2 years from date of death
Florida: 2 years from date of death
Illinois: 2 years from date of death

Product Liability Statutes

California: 2 years injury / 4 years property damage
Texas: 2 years from injury discovery
New York: 3 years from injury / discovery
Useful Life Statutes: Vary by state (10-15 years)
Repose Periods: Absolute cutoff dates

Motor Vehicle Accidents

No-Fault States: PIP benefits before lawsuit
Uninsured Motorist: Often shorter limitation periods
Hit and Run: Special notice and discovery rules
Commercial Vehicles: Federal regulations may apply
Government Vehicles: Short notice requirements

Discovery Rule & Statute Tolling

When statutes of limitations are extended or suspended

Discovery Rule: Many states apply discovery rule for latent injuries where the statute begins running from discovery of injury and its cause, not the date of incident.

Discovery Rule Applications

• Medical malpractice with delayed symptoms
• Toxic exposure cases (asbestos, chemicals)
• Latent construction defects
• Sexual abuse cases (childhood trauma)
• Professional malpractice discovery
• Fraud and concealment cases

Statute Tolling Situations

• Minority (under 18) - tolls until majority
• Mental incompetency or disability
• Defendant absent from jurisdiction
• Fraudulent concealment by defendant
• Continuing treatment doctrine (medical cases)
• Bankruptcy automatic stay periods

Personal Injury Practice Best Practices

Expert guidance for effective personal injury practice

Initial Case Management

• Calculate statute of limitations immediately
• Research applicable discovery rule extensions
• Check for government entity notice requirements
• Identify all potential defendants early
• Preserve evidence and obtain medical records
• Document client's medical treatment timeline

Critical Deadline Management

• File protective complaints when statute close
• Research choice of law for multi-state cases
• Track expert witness disclosure deadlines
• Monitor discovery cutoff and trial dates
• Plan for potential amendment deadlines
• Consider relation-back doctrine for new claims

Case Development Strategy

• Obtain complete medical records promptly
• Interview witnesses while memories fresh
• Engage experts early for complex cases
• Document all damages with precision
• Coordinate with insurance coverage counsel
• Plan settlement timing strategically

Common Practice Pitfalls

• Missing government entity notice deadlines
• Not researching all applicable statutes
• Failing to identify all responsible parties
• Inadequate documentation of damages
• Missing discovery rule applications
• Not coordinating multiple jurisdiction rules

Related Personal Injury Practice Tools

Additional calculators for comprehensive personal injury practice

California Court Calculator

California-specific personal injury deadlines

Service Deadline Calculator

Service of process deadlines for defendants

Medical Malpractice Calculator (Coming Soon)

Specialized medical malpractice statute calculator

How to Use This Calculator

Step-by-step instructions for accurate deadline calculations

Identify Claim Type

Determine the type of personal injury claim: motor vehicle accident, medical malpractice, wrongful death, premises liability, or product liability.

Enter Incident or Discovery Date

Input the date of injury occurrence or discovery of injury. Some claims use discovery rule, others use occurrence date for statute of limitations.

Select Jurisdiction

Choose the state where the injury occurred or where suit will be filed. Personal injury statutes vary significantly between states (1-6 years).

Apply Special Rules

Consider discovery rule for latent injuries, continuing treatment doctrine for medical malpractice, and minority/disability tolling provisions.

Check Notice Requirements

Verify if government entity claims require formal notice (30-180 days). Many personal injury claims against public entities have short notice periods.

Plan for Case Development

Calculate expert witness disclosure deadlines, medical record collection timing, and discovery cutoff dates for efficient case preparation.