Head Injury Laws by State

Overview

Most of the law that governs a head injury claim is state law. Each state sets its own statute of limitations,[1] its own rule for how shared fault affects recovery,[2][3] its own auto insurance requirements and, in some states, limits on certain damages. The pages below quote each state’s statutes and link to the official source.

All 50 states

StateGeneral injury deadlineShared-fault rule
AlabamaTwo years (§ 6-2-38)Contributory negligence
AlaskaTwo years (AS 09.10.070)Pure comparative fault
ArizonaTwo years (A.R.S. § 12-542)Pure comparative fault
ArkansasThree years (§ 16-56-105)Modified comparative, 50% bar
CaliforniaTwo years (CCP § 335.1)Pure comparative negligence
ColoradoTwo years; three for motor vehicle (§§ 13-80-102, -101)Modified comparative, 50% bar
ConnecticutTwo years (§ 52-584)Modified comparative, 51% bar
DelawareTwo years (10 Del. C. § 8119)Modified comparative, 51% bar
FloridaTwo years (§ 95.11(5))Modified comparative, barred above 50%
GeorgiaTwo years (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33)Modified comparative, barred at 50%
HawaiiTwo years (HRS § 657-7)Modified comparative, 51% bar
IdahoTwo years (§ 5-219)Modified comparative, 50% bar
IllinoisTwo years (735 ILCS 5/13-202)Modified comparative, barred above 50%
IndianaTwo years (IC 34-11-2-4)Modified comparative, 51% bar
IowaTwo years (§ 614.1)Modified comparative, 51% bar
KansasTwo years (K.S.A. 60-513)Modified comparative, 50% bar
KentuckyOne year; two for motor vehicle (KRS 413.140, 304.39-230)Pure comparative fault
LouisianaTwo years (art. 3493.1, since July 1, 2024)Modified comparative, 51% bar (from 2026)
MaineSix years (14 M.R.S. § 752)Modified comparative, 50% bar
MarylandThree years (CJP § 5-101)Contributory negligence
MassachusettsThree years (c. 260, § 2A)Modified comparative, 51% bar
MichiganThree years (MCL § 600.5805)Modified comparative; noneconomic damages barred above 50%
MinnesotaSix years (§ 541.05)Modified comparative, 51% bar
MississippiThree years (§ 15-1-49)Pure comparative fault
MissouriFive years (§ 516.120)Pure comparative fault
MontanaThree years (§ 27-2-204)Modified comparative, 51% bar
NebraskaFour years (§ 25-207)Modified comparative, 50% bar
NevadaTwo years (NRS 11.190)Modified comparative, 51% bar
New HampshireThree years (RSA 508:4)Modified comparative, 51% bar
New JerseyTwo years (N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2)Modified comparative, 51% bar
New MexicoThree years (§ 37-1-8)Pure comparative fault
New YorkThree years (CPLR § 214)Pure comparative fault
North CarolinaThree years (G.S. § 1-52(16))Contributory negligence
North DakotaSix years (§ 28-01-16)Modified comparative, 50% bar
OhioTwo years (R.C. 2305.10)Modified comparative, barred above 50%
OklahomaTwo years (12 O.S. § 95)Modified comparative, 51% bar
OregonTwo years (ORS 12.110)Modified comparative, 51% bar
PennsylvaniaTwo years (42 Pa.C.S. § 5524)Modified comparative, barred above 50%
Rhode IslandThree years (§ 9-1-14)Pure comparative fault
South CarolinaThree years (§ 15-3-530)Modified comparative, 51% bar
South DakotaThree years (§ 15-2-14)Slight/gross comparative negligence
TennesseeOne year (§ 28-3-104)Modified comparative, 50% bar
TexasTwo years (CPRC § 16.003)Modified comparative, barred above 50%
UtahFour years (§ 78B-2-307)Modified comparative, 50% bar
VermontThree years (12 V.S.A. § 512)Modified comparative, 51% bar
VirginiaTwo years (§ 8.01-243)Contributory negligence
WashingtonThree years (RCW 4.16.080)Pure comparative fault
West VirginiaTwo years (§ 55-2-12)Modified comparative, 51% bar
WisconsinThree years (§ 893.54)Modified comparative, 51% bar
WyomingFour years (§ 1-3-105)Modified comparative, 51% bar

Each state page lists the specific statutes behind these summaries, with links to the official text where available.

Why deadlines differ

A statute of limitations sets the time within which a lawsuit must be filed.[1] General injury deadlines range from one year in Kentucky and Tennessee[4][5] to two years in states such as California, Texas and Florida,[6][7][8] three years in states such as New York, North Carolina and Michigan,[9][10][11] and six years in Maine, Minnesota and North Dakota.[12][13][14] Some states also set a separate period for car crash claims, as Colorado and Kentucky do.[15][16] Claims against government bodies often have much shorter notice requirements; for example, New York requires a notice of claim within 90 days[17] and California within six months.[18]

Shared-fault rules

LII explains that under comparative negligence, a plaintiff’s recovery is reduced by their share of fault.[2] States differ in how much fault they allow:

  • Pure comparative fault (Alaska, Arizona, California, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island and Washington): recovery is reduced by the plaintiff’s share, even when that share is large.[19][20][21][22]
  • Modified comparative fault, 51% bar (for example, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Wisconsin, and Louisiana since 2026): recovery is barred when the plaintiff’s share is greater than 50%, or greater than the defendants’ share.[23][24][25][26]
  • Modified comparative fault, 50% bar (Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee and Utah): recovery is barred when the plaintiff’s share equals or exceeds the defendants’.[27][28][29]
  • Contributory negligence (Alabama, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia): any negligence by the plaintiff that helped cause the injury can bar recovery.[30][31][32][33]
  • Slight/gross comparison (South Dakota): the plaintiff can recover only if their negligence was slight compared with the defendant’s.[34]

No-fault states

III reports that 12 states and Puerto Rico have no-fault auto insurance laws.[35] They include Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Utah. Several of these states set a threshold for suing over pain and suffering; the state pages quote them.[36][37][38][39][40][41][42]

Learn more: Personal injury claims · Claims against the government · Auto insurance claims

This page provides general information about the law from the sources listed below. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws vary by state and change over time. See our legal disclaimer.

Sources

  1. Legal Information Institute, Wex. “Statute of limitations.” https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/statute_of_limitations
  2. Legal Information Institute, Wex. “Comparative negligence.” https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/comparative_negligence
  3. Legal Information Institute, Wex. “Contributory negligence.” https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/contributory_negligence
  4. KRS 413.140. Kentucky General Assembly. https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=58050
  5. Tenn. Code § 28-3-104, as quoted in a Tennessee Court of Appeals opinion. Tennessee Courts. https://www.tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/OPINIONS/TCA/PDF/063/SudberryHKOpn.pdf
  6. California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. California Legislative Information. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CCP&sectionNum=335.1
  7. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003. Texas Constitution and Statutes. https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.16.htm
  8. Florida Statutes § 95.11. Online Sunshine (Florida Legislature). http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0000-0099/0095/Sections/0095.11.html
  9. New York Civil Practice Law and Rules § 214. New York State Senate. https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/214
  10. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52. North Carolina General Assembly. https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_1/GS_1-52.html
  11. Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805. Justia. https://law.justia.com/codes/michigan/chapter-600/statute-act-236-of-1961/division-236-1961-58/section-600-5805/
  12. 14 M.R.S. § 752. Maine Legislature. https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/14/title14sec752.html
  13. Minn. Stat. § 541.05. Minnesota Revisor of Statutes. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/2008/cite/541.05
  14. N.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-16. North Dakota Legislative Branch. https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t28c01.pdf
  15. C.R.S. § 13-80-101(1)(n), as quoted in a Colorado Supreme Court opinion. Colorado Judicial Branch. https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/99SC738.doc
  16. KRS 304.39-230. Kentucky General Assembly. https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=45816
  17. New York General Municipal Law § 50-e. New York State Senate. https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/GMU/50-E
  18. California Government Code § 911.2. California Legislative Information. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&sectionNum=911.2
  19. Li v. Yellow Cab Co., 13 Cal.3d 804 (1975). Justia. https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/3d/13/804.html
  20. New York Civil Practice Law and Rules § 1411. New York State Senate. https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1411
  21. Alaska Stat. § 09.17.060. Justia. https://law.justia.com/codes/alaska/title-9/chapter-17/section-09-17-060/
  22. RCW 4.22.005. Washington State Legislature. https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=4.22.005
  23. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 33.001. Justia. https://law.justia.com/codes/texas/civil-practice-and-remedies-code/title-2/subtitle-c/chapter-33/subchapter-a/section-33-001/
  24. Florida Statutes § 768.81. Online Sunshine (Florida Legislature). http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0768/Sections/0768.81.html
  25. N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.1. Justia. https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-2a/section-2a-15-5-1/
  26. La. Civ. Code art. 2323. Louisiana State Legislature. https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/law.aspx?d=109387
  27. O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33. Justia. https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-51/chapter-12/article-2/section-51-12-33/
  28. C.R.S. § 13-21-111. Justia. https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/title-13/damages-and-limitations-on-actions/article-21/part-1/section-13-21-111/
  29. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-21,185.09. Nebraska Legislature. https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=25-21,185.09
  30. Miller v. Miller, North Carolina Supreme Court (1968). Justia. https://law.justia.com/cases/north-carolina/supreme-court/1968/278-0.html
  31. Golden v. McCurry, 392 So. 2d 815 (Ala. 1980). Justia. https://law.justia.com/cases/alabama/supreme-court/1980/392-so-2d-815-1.html
  32. Coleman v. Soccer Association of Columbia, 432 Md. 679 (2013). Maryland Judiciary. https://www.mdcourts.gov/data/opinions/coa/2013/9a12.pdf
  33. Fein v. Wade, 191 Va. 203 (1950), as quoted in a 1987 Supreme Court of Virginia opinion. Justia. https://law.justia.com/cases/virginia/supreme-court/1987/840023-1.html
  34. SDCL § 20-9-2. South Dakota Legislature. https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/20-9-2.html
  35. Insurance Information Institute. “Background on: No-fault auto insurance.” https://www.iii.org/article/background-on-no-fault-auto-insurance
  36. Florida Statutes § 627.737. Online Sunshine (Florida Legislature). http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0627/Sections/0627.737.html
  37. New York Insurance Law § 5102. New York State Senate. https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/ISC/5102
  38. 75 Pa.C.S. § 1705. Justia. https://law.justia.com/codes/pennsylvania/title-75/chapter-17/section-1705/
  39. Mich. Comp. Laws § 500.3135. Michigan Legislature. https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-500-3135
  40. K.S.A. 40-3117. Kansas Legislature. https://kslegislature.gov/li_2012/b2011_12/statute/040_000_0000_chapter/040_031_0000_article/040_031_0017_section/040_031_0017_k/
  41. M.G.L. c. 231, § 6D. Massachusetts Legislature. https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleII/Chapter231/Section6D
  42. Utah Code § 31A-22-309. Utah Legislature. https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title31A/Chapter22/C31A-22-S309_2026050620260506.pdf

Sources last checked: October 11, 2026

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