AZ Statute of Limitations for Injury Claims

Arizona Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims: Every Deadline You Need to Know (2026)

Every personal injury claim in Arizona comes with an expiration date. Miss it, and the claim can be lost, no matter how clear the liability or how severe the injuries. The Arizona statute of limitations for personal injury is governed primarily by A.R.S. § 12-542, which sets a two-year deadline from the date of injury to file a lawsuit. But that two-year window is just the starting point. Depending on who caused your injury, how old you were at the time, when you discovered the harm, and what type of claim you are bringing, an earlier step may be required within 180 days, or a different deadline may apply. This guide covers the main deadlines and considerations for people injured in Arizona.

The Standard Two-Year Deadline: A.R.S. § 12-542

Arizona Revised Statutes § 12-542 establishes the foundational deadline for personal injury claims in Arizona: two years from the date the cause of action accrues, which in most car accident, slip-and-fall, and assault cases means two years from the date the injury occurred. The statute covers car accidents on the I-10 and Loop 101, motorcycle crashes on Camelback Road, pedestrian collisions in downtown Phoenix and Tucson, bicycle accidents on Tempe's Mill Avenue, slip-and-fall injuries, and most other scenarios where one person's negligence causes another person's physical harm. Dog bites are different: a negligence claim generally has two years, but the strict-liability dog bite claim under A.R.S. § 11-1025 may be as short as one year.

When the Clock Starts Ticking

In the typical Arizona car accident or premises liability case, the statute of limitations clock begins on the date of the accident itself, the moment the injury occurs. For a rear-end collision on the I-17 near Dunlap Avenue in Phoenix, the date is obvious: the day of the crash. For a slip-and-fall at a Scottsdale Quarter shopping center, it is the day you fell. In cases involving latent injuries, medical malpractice, or toxic exposure, the injury date and the date the harm was discovered can be far apart, and when the claim began to run can be disputed. We confirm the start date for your situation.

What Filing Within the Deadline Actually Means

A common misconception is that the statute of limitations requires you to settle your claim within two years. That is wrong. The statute requires you to file a lawsuit within the two-year period. Negotiations can continue after suit is filed, and cases can proceed through discovery, depositions, mediation, and trial well beyond the filing date. Service of the lawsuit on the defendant has its own timing rules, which we handle as part of filing. A lawsuit filed after the deadline can be dismissed.

The 180-Day Government Claims Deadline: A.R.S. § 12-821.01

If your Arizona personal injury was caused by a government entity or government employee acting within the scope of their duties, your first deadline is not two years. It is 180 days. Under A.R.S. § 12-821.01, you must file a formal notice of claim with the government entity within 180 days of the date the cause of action accrues, and the lawsuit itself must generally be filed within one year (A.R.S. § 12-821). This shorter deadline applies to many scenarios people do not anticipate: crashes involving Valley Metro buses in Phoenix, collisions with Arizona Department of Public Safety patrol vehicles on state highways, injuries caused by defective road conditions on ADOT-maintained highways like I-10 or SR-51, falls on government-owned property including public parks and city buildings, and injuries caused by public school employees or municipal workers. Missing the notice deadline can bar the claim against the public entity.

What the Notice of Claim Must Contain

The notice of claim is not a casual letter or phone call. It is a formal legal document with specific content requirements under A.R.S. § 12-821.01(A). The notice must contain facts sufficient to permit the public entity to understand the basis of the claim, a specific amount for which the claim can be settled, and the facts supporting that amount. A notice missing the required content can be found insufficient even if filed on time. In practical terms, this means estimating damages before filing, which can be difficult while medical treatment is still ongoing. The notice must also be served on the person authorized to accept it for that entity, which varies by entity.

Warning: The 180-day notice of claim requirement under A.R.S. § 12-821.01 is easy to miss. If your crash involved a government vehicle, occurred on a state-maintained road, or happened on government property, consult an attorney early so there is time to prepare a sufficient notice.

Exceptions That Extend the Deadline

Arizona law has tolling provisions that can pause or extend the limitations period in specific circumstances, such as injuries to minors or injuries that were not immediately apparent. Each has specific requirements and limits, so whether one applies is a question we confirm for your situation rather than assume.

Minors

When the injured person was a minor at the time of the accident, Arizona's deadline rules can differ from the standard two-year clock. The exact effect depends on the claim and the defendant, and claims against public entities have their own notice rules. Parents can bring claims on behalf of injured children, and acting promptly helps, since evidence degrades and witnesses become harder to locate over time.

The Discovery Rule: When Injuries Are Not Immediately Apparent

The discovery rule addresses injuries that are not apparent right away, most often in medical malpractice, toxic exposure, and latent injury cases. For example, a surgical error may not be discovered for months. Whether and how the discovery rule changes the start date turns on specific facts, so do not rely on it to extend a deadline without legal advice.

Claim Type	Statute	Deadline	Key Notes
General Personal Injury	A.R.S. § 12-542	2 years	Car accidents, slip-and-fall, assault (statutory dog bite claims may be as short as 1 year)
Government Claims	A.R.S. § 12-821.01	180 days notice	Formal notice with a specific settlement amount; suit within 1 year (A.R.S. § 12-821)
Wrongful Death	A.R.S. § 12-542	2 years from death	Clock starts at date of death, not date of injury
Product Liability	Varies	Generally 2 years	Product claims can raise additional timing issues; we confirm them
Medical Malpractice	A.R.S. § 12-542	2 years (discovery rule)	Preliminary expert opinion affidavit where expert testimony is needed (A.R.S. § 12-2603)
Minors	Varies	May differ from 2 years	Tolling may apply; parents can file earlier

Wrongful Death and Product Liability Deadlines

Two categories of Arizona personal injury claims carry deadlines that differ from the standard § 12-542 framework in important ways. Wrongful death claims have a two-year statute of limitations under A.R.S. § 12-542, but the clock starts on the date of death rather than the date of the underlying injury. This distinction matters when someone survives for weeks or months after the accident before dying from their injuries. Arizona law specifies who may bring the claim, and Arizona does not cap damages for death or injury. Learn more about Arizona wrongful death settlements.

Product Liability Deadlines

Product liability claims, such as an airbag that fails to deploy in a crash, generally follow a two-year limitations period, but they can raise additional timing questions tied to the product and the theory of the claim. If a defective product may have contributed to your injury, we confirm the applicable deadlines early.

Wrongful Death vs. Survival Actions

Arizona distinguishes between wrongful death actions (brought for the survivors' own losses) and survival actions (brought by the estate for claims the person had before death). The two can run on different clocks, which matters when someone survives for a long period after the injury. Families should get advice early so neither deadline is missed.

What Happens If You Miss the Deadline

The consequences of missing Arizona's statute of limitations are serious. If a personal injury lawsuit is filed after the two-year deadline expires, the defendant can raise the deadline as a defense and ask the court to dismiss the case. Sympathetic facts, severe injuries, or clear liability generally do not change that, which is why confirming the deadline early matters.

Strategic Reasons to File Early

Beyond avoiding the hard deadline, there are practical reasons to file well before the two-year window closes. Evidence preservation comes first: surveillance footage from businesses near the crash site may be overwritten, witness memories fade, and vehicle damage evidence is lost once cars are repaired or scrapped. Filing suit opens formal discovery under the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure, which can reach records such as phone records, dash cam footage, employment records, and insurance policy information.

• Preserve evidence: Surveillance footage, dash cam video, and electronic data degrade or get overwritten within weeks
• Lock in witnesses: People move, forget details, or become uncooperative over time
• Trigger discovery: Filing suit gives you legal tools to compel the defendant to produce documents and testimony
• Avoid calendar errors: Leap years, filing office closures, and mailing delays have caused missed deadlines
• Allow time for experts: Complex cases requiring accident reconstruction, medical experts, or economic analysis need months of preparation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the statute of limitations for a car accident in Arizona?

The statute of limitations for a car accident personal injury claim in Arizona is two years from the date of the accident under A.R.S. § 12-542. If a government vehicle or road defect was involved, you must also file a notice of claim within 180 days under A.R.S. § 12-821.01 and generally sue within one year.

Does the statute of limitations apply differently for wrongful death in Arizona?

Yes. Wrongful death claims under A.R.S. § 12-542 have a two-year deadline that begins on the date of death, not the date of the underlying injury. This distinction matters when the injured person survives for a period before dying from their injuries.

Can the statute of limitations be extended for children injured in Arizona?

Often, yes. Arizona has tolling rules for injured minors, but how they apply depends on the claim and the defendant, and claims against public entities have their own notice rules. We confirm the deadline for your child's situation, and parents can file sooner.

What happens if I miss the 180-day government claim deadline?

Your claim against the government entity can be barred. Talk with an attorney right away about whether any option remains. You may still pursue claims against non-government defendants if applicable.

What is the deadline for a product liability claim in Arizona?

Product liability claims generally follow a two-year limitations period, but they can raise additional timing questions tied to the product and the claim. We confirm the applicable deadlines for your situation.

---

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about Arizona statutes of limitations for personal injury claims and does not constitute legal advice. Deadlines vary based on the type of claim, the parties involved, and individual circumstances. Consult a qualified Arizona personal injury attorney to determine the specific deadlines that apply to your case. Conduit Law does not guarantee any particular legal outcome.

Filing deadlines are easier to meet with time to spare. Conduit Law offers free consultations with Arizona personal injury attorneys who can identify the deadlines that apply to your case and help preserve your claim. We represent clients across Phoenix, Tucson, Scottsdale, Mesa, and statewide on a contingency basis—no fees unless we win. Contact our Arizona team to talk through your timeline.