Pennsylvania Injury Deadline Calculator
Find your approximate deadlines
Answer a few questions to see the approximate deadlines that may apply. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
This calculator gives general estimates based on common Pennsylvania rules. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. It cannot account for every exception, including the discovery rule, claims governed by federal law or another state's law, insurance policy deadlines, or special rules for specific claim types. If a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday it may move to the next business day, but don't plan around that. Deadlines can be shorter than they look, so talk to a lawyer as early as you can.
After an accident, the deadlines that matter most are easy to miss. Pennsylvania gives most injured people two years to file a lawsuit, but some situations come with much shorter deadlines, and some come with longer ones. Missing the right one can end a claim, no matter how strong it is.
The calculator above gives you approximate dates based on the most common Pennsylvania rules. Below is a plain-language explanation of each one.
How these deadlines work
Two years for most injury claims. Most personal injury claims, including car accidents, slip and falls and dog bites, must be filed in court within two years of the date of injury. Settlement talks with an insurance company don't stop the clock. See How Long Do You Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in Pennsylvania?
Six months when a government agency may be responsible. If a city, township, borough, PennDOT, school district or public transit authority may be at fault, Pennsylvania generally requires a written notice within six months of the injury. This is the deadline people miss most often. See Injured on Government Property and Hit by a Government Vehicle.
Extra time for children, but not for parents. When a child is hurt, the child's own two-year clock generally doesn't start until their 18th birthday. The parents' separate claim for medical bills usually stays on the regular two-year schedule. See When Your Child Is Hurt in an Accident.
Two years from the date of death. Wrongful death and survival claims generally must be filed within two years of the date of death. See Wrongful Death vs. Survival Actions.
What the calculator can't tell you
The discovery rule. In some cases, the clock starts when an injury was discovered, or reasonably should have been, rather than when it happened.
Insurance policy deadlines. Your own policy may require prompt notice of a claim or of an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim. See Uninsured and Underinsured Drivers.
Crashes in other states. New York, New Jersey and other states have their own deadlines. See Hurt in a Crash in New York or New Jersey?
Workers' compensation. Work injuries have their own notice and filing rules. See Hurt at Work in Pennsylvania.
Why earlier is better
Even when the legal deadline is years away, evidence isn't. Surveillance video is often overwritten in days. Vehicles are repaired, roads are patched and witnesses become hard to find. Starting early protects the claim and gives you more choices. See The First 72 Hours After a Car Accident.
Talk it through with someone local. If you aren't sure which deadline applies to you, the attorneys at Joyce, Carmody & Moran can review your dates and explain your options at no cost. Request a free consultation.
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