What Is the Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury in Arizona?
Miss the deadline and it does not matter how strong your case is, you lose the right to bring it at all. Here is what the deadlines actually are.
By Michael Tamou · Updated August 14, 2026
How Long Do You Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in Arizona?
Quick answer: Generally two years from the date of injury under A.R.S. § 12-542, but there are important exceptions: dog bite claims under Arizona’s strict liability statute have a one-year deadline, claims against a government entity require a Notice of Claim within 180 days, and claims involving injured minors generally do not start running until the minor turns 18.
On This Page
- How Long Do You Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in Arizona?
- The General Rule: Two Years
- The Dog Bite Exception: One Year
- Claims Against the Government: 180 Days
- Injured Minors
- Why Waiting Is a Mistake Even With Time Left
- How the Deadline Interacts With Ongoing Treatment
- What to Do If You’re Unsure How Much Time You Have
- Arizona Personal Injury Deadlines at a Glance
- FAQs
The General Rule: Two Years
Under A.R.S. § 12-542, most Arizona personal injury claims, including car accidents, slip and falls, and most negligence claims, must be filed within two years of the date of injury. Wait past that date, and the court will generally dismiss the case regardless of how strong the evidence is.
This deadline is not a suggestion or a guideline, it is a hard legal bar. Courts do not typically weigh how sympathetic your case is or how clear the other side’s fault was once the statute of limitations has run, the case simply cannot proceed.
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The Dog Bite Exception: One Year
Strict liability dog bite claims under A.R.S. § 11-1025 generally carry a shorter one-year deadline, a detail that surprises many people who assume all injury claims follow the standard two-year rule.
This shorter window catches people off guard specifically because it runs counter to their expectations. Someone who was bitten and initially decided to “wait and see” about pursuing a claim can easily lose that option well before they would have expected, based on the general two-year rule they have heard about elsewhere.
Claims Against the Government: 180 Days
If a government entity, a city vehicle, a defect on public property, a public hospital, caused your injury, A.R.S. § 12-821.01 requires a formal Notice of Claim within 180 days of the injury. Miss this window and the claim can be barred entirely, even though the standard deadline has not passed.
This is arguably the deadline most likely to be missed by someone handling a claim on their own, because 180 days passes quickly, well before most people are even thinking about legal deadlines, and because it is easy not to realize a government entity was involved at all until later in the process.
Injured Minors
When the injured person is a minor, the standard limitations period generally does not begin running until they turn 18, though this can vary by claim type and should always be confirmed with an attorney given how much is at stake.
This does not mean nothing should happen until the child turns 18. Evidence still degrades, witnesses still become harder to find, and in cases involving a government entity, the Notice of Claim requirement can still apply on its own separate, much shorter timeline.
Why Waiting Is a Mistake Even With Time Left
Even when the legal deadline is more than a year away, waiting hurts a case. Evidence disappears, witness memories fade, and surveillance footage often gets overwritten within days or weeks, long before any statute of limitations runs out.
Insurance companies also count on delay working in their favor. The longer a claim sits unaddressed, the easier it becomes for them to argue that your injuries are unrelated to the incident, or that the delay itself suggests the claim was never that serious to begin with.
How the Deadline Interacts With Ongoing Treatment
A common misconception is that the statute of limitations clock pauses while you are still receiving medical treatment. It generally does not, the deadline runs from the date of injury regardless of how long your treatment continues, which is exactly why filing suit and continuing treatment are not mutually exclusive.
What to Do If You’re Unsure How Much Time You Have
- Identify the date of injury precisely, this is generally when the clock starts.
- Determine if a government entity may be involved, since this dramatically shortens your window.
- Check if your claim type has a special deadline, like the one-year rule for strict liability dog bites.
- Do not assume you have the full two years without confirming which deadline actually applies to your situation.
- Consult an attorney promptly, even if you think you have plenty of time remaining.
Arizona Personal Injury Deadlines at a Glance
Arizona Personal Injury Deadlines at a Glance
| Claim Type | Deadline | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Most personal injury claims | 2 years | A.R.S. § 12-542 |
| Dog bite (strict liability) | 1 year | A.R.S. § 11-1025 |
| Claims against government entities | 180 days (Notice of Claim) | A.R.S. § 12-821.01 |
| Wrongful death | 2 years from date of death | A.R.S. § 12-542 |
General guidance only. Deadlines can vary based on the specific facts of your case.
Not sure if you still have time to file in Arizona? Talk to our litigation team before you respond.
Call 602-932-6010What Is the Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury in Arizona? FAQs
What happens if I miss the statute of limitations?
In almost all cases, the court will dismiss your claim permanently, regardless of how strong the evidence is.
Does the clock start on the date of the accident or the date I discovered my injury?
Usually the date of injury, though some claims (like certain medical malpractice cases) can start from the date the injury was discovered or reasonably should have been.
Is the deadline different for a wrongful death claim?
Generally the same two years, but running from the date of death rather than the date of the underlying incident if they differ.
Can I still get compensation if I’m past the deadline?
In most cases, no. There are narrow exceptions, which is exactly why you should talk to an attorney immediately even if you think you might be out of time.
Does ongoing medical treatment pause the statute of limitations?
Generally no, the deadline runs from the date of injury regardless of how long treatment continues.
What if I’m not sure whether a government entity was involved in my accident?
This should be investigated immediately given how much shorter that deadline is, an attorney can help determine this quickly.
Can the deadline be different if my injuries got worse over time?
The deadline generally still runs from the original date of injury in most personal injury cases, worsening symptoms do not typically restart the clock.
Key Takeaways
- Most Arizona personal injury claims must be filed within two years.
- Dog bite claims have a shorter one-year deadline that surprises many people.
- Government entity claims require a Notice of Claim within just 180 days.
- Waiting hurts your case long before any legal deadline actually arrives.
- Ongoing treatment generally does not pause the statute of limitations clock.
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