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Statute of Limitations by State

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Civil & Personal Injury Actions

Maine

Personal Injury: Six years
Product Liability: Six years
Professional Malpractice: Malpractice actions against architects and engineers must be commenced within four years of the act or omission giving rise to the injury, to a maximum of ten years from the date of the act or omission. Actions for legal malpractice must be commenced within two years. Actions for medical malpractice must be commenced within three years of the act or omission giving rise to the injury.
Injury to Personal Property: Six years
Fraud: Six years
Libel - Slander - Defamation: Two years
Contracts: Written: twenty years if under seal.

Maryland

Personal Injury: Most intentional torts, one year. Most torts based upon negligent conduct, three years.
Product Liability: Three years
Professional Malpractice: Medical malpractice actions must be commenced within five years from the date of the act or omission giving rise to injury, or within three years of its discovery, whichever period is shorter.
Injury to Personal Property: Three years
Fraud: Three years
Libel - Slander - Defamation: One year
Contracts: Written: three years; Written and under seal: twelve years.

Massachusetts

Personal Injury: Three years. However, a person injured in a hit-and-run accident may commence suit within six months of learning the identity of the hit-and-run driver.
Product Liability: Three years
Professional Malpractice: Malpractice actions must be commenced within three years of the date of the act or omission giving rise ot the injury, or within three years of its discovery. All medical malpractice actions must be filed within seven years after the date of the act or omission giving rise to the injury, with the exception of actions for a foreign object being left inside the body, in which case the limitations period begins to run when the plaintiff discovers or should have discovered the presence of the foreign object.
Injury to Personal Property: Three years
Fraud: Three years
Libel - Slander - Defamation: Three years
Contracts: Written and under seal: 20 years; Otherwise: 6 years.

Michigan

Personal Injury: Three years for most torts based upon theories of negligence. Two years for most intentional torts.
Product Liability: Three years
Professional Malpractice: Two years. Actions for medical malpractice must be filed within that two year period, or within six months of discovery to a maximum of six years following the date of the act or omission giving rise to the injury.
Injury to Personal Property: Three years
Fraud: Six years
Libel - Slander - Defamation: One year
Contracts: Six year

Minnesota

Personal Injury: Personal injury arising from negligent conduct, six years. Most personal injury resulting from intentional misconduct, 2 years.
Product Liability: Four years
Professional Malpractice: Medical malpractice: 4 years
Injury to Personal Property: Six years
Fraud: Six years
Libel - Slander - Defamation: Two years
Contracts: Six years

Mississippi

Personal Injury: For most personal injury based upon negligent conduct, three years. For most personal injury resulting from intentional misconduct, one year.
Product Liability: Three years
Professional Malpractice: Professional negligence actions, including medical malpractice lawsuits, must be filed within two years from the act or omission which resulted in injury, or from the reasonable date of its discovery. No malpractice action may be commenced more than seven years after the date of the act or omission underlying the malpractice claim.
Libel - Slander - Defamation: One year
Contracts: Three years. Unwritten contract of employment: one year.

Missouri

Personal Injury: For most personal injury based upon negligent conduct, five years. For most personal injury resulting from intentional misconduct, two years.
Product Liability: Five years
Professional Malpractice: Medical malpractice: two years from the date of discovery of the act or omission giving rise to injury, to a maximum of ten years after the date of that act.
Injury to Personal Property: Five years
Fraud: Ten years
Libel - Slander - Defamation: Two years
Contracts: Five years. Written contract for repayment of money or property: 10 years.

Montana

Personal Injury: For most personal injury based upon negligent conduct, three years. Assault and battery, two years.
Product Liability: Three years
Professional Malpractice: Medical malpractice, three years from the reasonable date of discovery to a maximum of five years following the date of the act or omission giving rise to the claim. This rule applies to minors aged four years and older. Legal malpractice, three years from the reasonable date of discovery to a maximum of ten years following the date of the act or omission giving rise to the claim.
Injury to Personal Property: Two years
Libel - Slander - Defamation: Two years
Contracts: Written: eight years; Oral: five years

Nebraska

Personal Injury: Four years
Product Liability: Four years
Professional Malpractice: Medical malpractice actions must be filed within two years of the act or omission giving rise to the claim, or within one year from the date the injury was or should have been discovered. All medical malpractice actions must be filed within ten years of the date of the act or omission giving rise to the claim, regardless of when the injury is discovered.
Injury to Personal Property: Four years
Fraud: Four years
Libel - Slander - Defamation: One year
Contracts: Written: five years; Oral: four years

All States

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