Each state has different laws, rules, and requirements regarding time limits under which claims for medical malpractice must be made (and how they are made) after which the victim’s claim may be barred and the right to sue may be lost forever. Many states have different time limits depending on the type of claim being made and/or the date when the harm from medical malpractice was (or should reasonably have been) known. The expert opinion of a competent medical malpractice lawyer regarding the applicable statute of limitations to the facts of your possible claim should be promptly obtained.
The following listing and information regarding the medical malpractice statutes of limitations by state are for general information purposes only. This list is not legal advice and may not be current or accurate at the time you view this page. Many state laws are revised or changed from time to time (including medical malpractice statutes of limitations). Do not rely on the information below with regard to the statute(s) of limitations that may apply to your claim. Seek competent legal advice with regard to medical malpractice statutes of limitations that may apply to your state and/or to your claim. Different statutes of limitations may apply (such as but not limited to many states that have different statutes of limitations regarding foreign objects left in the body during surgery). Certain notice requirements regarding possible medical malpractice claims may also apply (such as but not limited to notice requirements regarding federal health care providers and state health care providers).
|
State |
Medical Malpractice Statute of Limitations |
State Law Reference |
|
Alabama |
2 years |
Alabama Code Section 6-2-38 |
|
Alaska |
2 years |
Alaska Statutes Section 09.10.070 |
|
Arizona |
2 years |
Arizona Revised Statutes Section 12-542 |
|
Arkansas |
2 years |
A.C.A. Section 16-114-203 |
|
California |
1/3 years |
California Code of Civil Procedure Section 340.5 |
|
Colorado |
2 years |
Colorado Revised Statutes Section 13-80-102.5 |
|
Connecticut |
2 years |
Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 926 Section 52-584 |
|
Delaware |
2 years |
Delaware Code Title 10 Chapter 81 Section 8119 |
|
District of Columbia (D.C.) |
3 years |
DSST Section 12-301 |
|
Florida |
2 years |
Florida Statutes Title XIII Chapter 95 Section 95.11 |
|
Georgia |
2 years |
O.C.G.A. Section 9-3-71 |
|
Hawaii |
2 years |
Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 657-7.3 |
|
Idaho |
2 years |
Idaho Code Section 5-219 |
|
Illinois |
2 years |
Illinois Code Chapter 735 Article 5 Section 13-735 |
|
Indiana |
2 years |
IC 34-11-2-3 |
|
Iowa |
2 years |
Iowa Code Section 614.1 |
|
Kansas |
2 years |
Kansas Statutes Section 60-513 |
|
Kentucky |
1 year |
Kentucky Revised Statutes Title XXXVI Section 413.140 |
|
Louisiana |
1 year |
Louisiana Civil Code Article 3492 |
|
Maine |
6 years |
Maine Revised Statutes Title 14 Chapter 205 Section 752 |
|
Maryland |
3 years |
Annotated Code of Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article Section 5-109 |
|
Massachusetts |
3 years |
Massachusetts General Laws Article 260 Section 2A |
|
Michigan |
2 years |
Michigan Compiled Laws Section 600.5805(6) |
|
Minnesota |
4 years |
Minnesota Statutes Section 541.076 |
|
Mississippi |
2 years |
Mississippi Code Section 15-1-36 |
|
Missouri |
2 years |
Missouri Revised Statutes Title 35 Section 516.105 |
|
Montana |
3 years |
Montana Code Section 27-2-205 |
|
Nebraska |
2 years |
Nebraska Revised Statutes Section 25-208 |
|
Nevada |
1 year |
NRS 41A.097 |
|
New Hampshire |
2 years |
New Hampshire Revised Statutes Section 507-C:4 |
|
New Jersey |
2 years |
New Jersey Statutes Section 2A: 14-2 |
|
New Mexico |
3 years |
New Mexico Statutes Section 41-5-13 |
|
New York |
2 years 6 months |
New York Civil Practice Rules Section 214-a |
|
North Carolina |
3 years |
North Carolina General Statutes Section 1-15 |
|
North Dakota |
2 years |
North Dakota Code 28-01-18 |
|
Ohio |
1 year |
Ohio Revised Code Section 2305.113 |
|
Oklahoma |
2 years |
Oklahoma Statutes Title 12 Section 95 |
|
Oregon |
2 years |
Oregon Revised Statutes Section 12.110 |
|
Pennsylvania |
2 years |
42 Pa. Con. Stat. Section 5524 |
|
Rhode Island |
2 years |
Rhode Island General Laws Section 9-1-14.1 |
|
South Carolina |
3 years |
South Carolina Code Section 15-3-545 |
|
South Dakota |
2 years |
South Dakota Comp. Laws Section 15-2-14.1 |
|
Tennessee |
1 year |
Tennessee Code Section 29-26-116 |
|
Texas |
2 years |
Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 74.251 |
|
Utah |
2 years |
Utah Code Section 78B-3-404 |
|
Vermont |
3 years |
Vermont Statutes Title 12 Section 521 |
|
Virginia |
2 years |
Virginia Code Section 8.01-243.1 |
|
Washington |
3 years |
Washington Revised Code Section 4.16.350 |
|
West Virginia |
2 years |
West Virginia Code Section 55-7B-4 |
|
Wisconsin |
3 years |
Wisconsin Statutes Section 893.55 |
|
Wyoming |
2 years |
Wyoming Statutes Section 1-3-107 |