The statute of limitations in Arizona is set at two years for all personal injury claims. It is one year for libel or slander claims, which are a subset of personal injury law. Some exceptions may apply when it takes longer than a year for a person to reasonably realize an injury has occurred.
Plaintiffs have time limits for filing civil lawsuits, which differ by the type of claim (in most states). These time limits, referred to as the civil statute of limitations, are meant to help preserve the integrity of evidence and witness testimony.
Statutes of limitations are enacted to ensure that claims are made while evidence is still relatively vital and to prevent the constant "threat" of a lawsuit long after the disputed event has occurred.
There are times, of course, when there is no way to reasonably know for certain that an injury has occurred. Other times you may not realize the cause of a known injury until much later. Take, for example, a cancer diagnosis caused by workplace pollution. That may not become known for many years after exposure. Or a long-time black employee may not have found out that she was being discriminated against until several years after the fact.
There are also instances in which the statute of limitations may be "tolled" -- or paused -- for a period of time. This may happen if the plaintiff was a minor (under 18) or mentally incompetent at the time the injury occurred. Also, statutes of limitation may also be shortened through a contract.
Take a look at the following table for a complete list of Arizona's civil statute of limitations laws.
| Injury to Person | False imprisonment; 1 yr. §12-541; if not 2 yrs. §12-542 |
| Libel/Slander | 1 yr. §12-541 |
| Fraud | 3 yrs. §12-543(3) |
| Injury to Personal Property | 2 yrs. §12-542 |
| Professional Malpractice | Medical: 2 yrs. §12-542 |
| Trespass | 2 yrs. §12-542(3) |
| Collection of Rents | - |
| Contracts | Written: 6 yrs. §12-548; Oral (for indebtedness): 3 yrs. §12-543(1) |
| Collection of Debt on Account | 3 yrs. §12-543(2) |
| Judgments | 4 yrs. foreign judgment §12-544(3) |
Note: State laws are constantly changing -- please contact an Arizona personal injury attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.
See Time Limit Considerations in Medical Malpractice Claims for additional information.
Arizona Civil Statute of Limitations Related Resources
Contact an Arizona Attorney About the Time Limits for Your Civil Complaint
You might have a slip and fall case in Sedona or even a medical malpractice claim in Scottsdale. Either way, you will have to follow the state's time limits for filing your case. Arizona's civil statute of limitations often depends on the nature of your claim. If you are dealing with a personal injury or other dispute that may merit compensation, it's in your best interest to contact an Arizona litigation attorney as soon as possible.
