TXReviewed September 24, 2026
Texas
General filing-period orientation
Texas generally gives a person two years to bring a personal-injury action, but the accrual date and exceptions depend on the claim.
Shared fault
Texas proportionate-responsibility law generally bars recovery when a claimant is more than 50% responsible. A recoverable award is reduced by the claimant’s percentage of responsibility.
Check separately: Claims involving government bodies, medical care, minors, latent injuries, or particular products can involve different rules or notice steps.
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California
General filing-period orientation
California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 sets a two-year period for an action for injury or death caused by another person’s wrongful act or neglect.
Shared fault
California uses comparative fault. The share of fault assigned to an injured person can reduce the damages awarded rather than automatically ending every claim.
Check separately: Claims against a government entity can require an administrative claim on a much shorter schedule. Medical malpractice and other claims have separate rules.
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Florida
General filing-period orientation
Florida Statutes § 95.11 generally places an action founded on negligence within a two-year category. Other causes of action and exceptions can use different periods.
Shared fault
Under Florida Statutes § 768.81, fault generally reduces damages proportionately, and a party found more than 50% at fault for their own harm cannot recover in covered negligence actions. The statute contains exceptions.
Check separately: The date of the incident, type of defendant, medical-negligence rules, and pre-suit requirements can change the analysis.
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Washington
General filing-period orientation
RCW 4.16.080 generally places an action for injury to a person or another’s rights within a three-year category.
Shared fault
RCW 4.22.005 says contributory fault diminishes compensatory damages in proportion to the claimant’s fault but does not bar recovery.
Check separately: Medical negligence, claims against public bodies, minors, and other circumstances have separate statutes and procedures.
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North Carolina
General filing-period orientation
North Carolina G.S. 1-52 places many personal-injury actions within a three-year category and includes an accrual rule for when bodily harm becomes apparent or should reasonably become apparent.
Shared fault
North Carolina retains contributory-negligence rules shaped by statutes and case law. G.S. 1-139 puts the burden of proving that defense on the party asserting it.
Check separately: Because contributory negligence can be decisive and exceptions are fact-specific, fault questions deserve prompt advice from a North Carolina lawyer.
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Ohio
General filing-period orientation
Ohio Revised Code § 2305.10 generally requires an action for bodily injury to be brought within two years after it accrues, with detailed exceptions for specified claims.
Shared fault
Ohio Revised Code § 2315.33 permits recovery when the plaintiff’s fault is not greater than the combined fault of others, then reduces damages proportionately.
Check separately: Product liability, exposure, medical claims, minors, and public defendants can raise separate accrual, repose, or notice questions.
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New York
General filing-period orientation
New York CPLR 214 generally places actions to recover damages for personal injury within a three-year category, while other statutes and exceptions may apply.
Shared fault
CPLR 1411 generally reduces damages in proportion to culpable conduct rather than making that conduct a complete bar. A 2026 amendment adds a separate rule for certain motor-vehicle actions subject to Insurance Law article 51.
Check separately: Claims involving municipalities, medical malpractice, wrongful death, minors, and no-fault motor-vehicle rules can involve different deadlines or procedures.
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Pennsylvania
General filing-period orientation
42 Pa.C.S. § 5524 generally places actions for injury or death caused by another person’s wrongful act or negligence within a two-year category.
Shared fault
42 Pa.C.S. § 7102 generally permits recovery when the plaintiff’s negligence is not greater than the causal negligence of the defendant or defendants, then reduces damages in proportion to fault.
Check separately: Government defendants, medical claims, minors, discovery issues, and claims arising outside Pennsylvania may require separate analysis.
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Illinois
General filing-period orientation
735 ILCS 5/13-202 generally places actions for damages for injury to the person within a two-year category.
Shared fault
735 ILCS 5/2-1116 generally bars recovery when the plaintiff’s contributory fault is more than 50 percent of the proximate cause and proportionally reduces damages at 50 percent or less.
Check separately: Medical malpractice, public entities, minors, product claims, and other circumstances can involve distinct notice, repose, or accrual rules.
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Michigan
General filing-period orientation
MCL 600.5805 generally provides a three-year limitations period for actions to recover damages for the death of a person or injury to a person or property.
Shared fault
MCL 600.2959 reduces damages by the plaintiff’s percentage of fault and limits noneconomic recovery when the plaintiff’s fault is greater than the aggregate fault of the other persons involved.
Check separately: Medical malpractice, governmental immunity, no-fault benefits, minors, and product claims can raise separate timing and procedural questions.
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New Jersey
General filing-period orientation
N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2 generally places an action for injury caused by another person’s wrongful act, neglect, or default within a two-year category.
Shared fault
N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.1 generally permits recovery when the plaintiff’s negligence is not greater than the negligence of the person or combined persons against whom recovery is sought, with a proportional reduction.
Check separately: Public-entity notices, medical malpractice, minors, wrongful death, and discovery or accrual questions can change the analysis.
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