Arizona Personal Injury Statute of Limitations — Don't Miss Your Deadline

Short answer: A.R.S. § 12-542 generally provides two years for many Arizona actions involving personal injury or property damage. But not every claim uses the same period or the same starting date. Claims involving public entities, certain specialized causes of action, and some personal circumstances can require a different analysis.

This page is a general guide. The controlling date depends on the facts, and it should be evaluated before anyone relies on a calendar calculation.

Deadlines that frequently arise

These periods do not simply add together, and the table does not cover every exception. For example, a public-entity notice may be required long before a lawsuit is due.

For an injury that results in death, § 12-542 states that the covered action is considered to accrue at death. See our separate guide to Arizona wrongful-death claims.

Does the clock always begin on the accident date?

Not necessarily. The statutes commonly measure time from when a cause of action “accrues.” In many crashes or falls, that date may coincide with the incident, but the governing claim and circumstances determine the analysis. Do not assume either that the incident date always controls or that a later discovery automatically extends the deadline.

A.R.S. § 12-502, for example, addresses the effect of being under 18 or of unsound mind when certain causes of action accrue. That does not mean a minor can ignore every separate requirement, especially when a public entity is involved. An exception should be applied only after reviewing its text and the specific facts.

Special timing for public entities and public property

When a public entity or employee may be responsible, A.R.S. § 12-821.01 can require a notice of claim within 180 days after the claim accrues. The statute addresses who must receive it and requires facts supporting liability, a specific settlement amount, and facts supporting that amount.

A.R.S. § 12-821 separately provides a one-year limitations period for actions against public entities or employees. A claim involving a road, school, bus, public building, police vehicle, or other government operation may require this analysis even if it first appears to be an ordinary injury case.

Serving the wrong person, omitting required notice content, or missing a controlling deadline can bar a claim. Accrual provisions and statutory exceptions can affect the calculation, so a generic notice form is not a substitute for a fact-specific review.

Does an insurance claim stop the deadline?

Do not assume so. An insurer’s investigation, negotiations, or settlement offer does not automatically suspend the court deadline. You also do not need to finish treatment or reach maximum medical improvement before identifying the applicable limitations period and protecting the right to file an action.

How long do I have to contact a lawyer?

Arizona does not impose a separate rule requiring you to hire a lawyer within a set number of days. Evidence can still disappear long before a lawsuit deadline: video may be overwritten, physical conditions change, vehicles are repaired, and witnesses become harder to locate.

If the injury happened at a store, hotel, parking lot, or other property, read our specific guidance on when to contact a lawyer after a property injury. If the matter involves government, a child, a death, medical care, or an uncertain date, it is prudent to review the deadline early.

Law Badgers can evaluate which statute, notice requirement, and accrual date may apply. Contact us or call (833) DTF-IGHT for a free consultation. No result is guaranteed, and this guide does not replace an analysis of your particular claim.