What Is the Statute of Limitations to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Arkansas?

The statute of limitations to file a personal injury or vehicle property damage lawsuit in Arkansas is three (3) years from the exact date of the collision under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105. Missing this deadline permanently forfeits your legal right to pursue compensation in an Arkansas civil court. 

Exceptions extending this window are rare. The deadline may be tolled if the injured party was a minor at the time of the wreck (Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-116) or legally incompetent. Conversely, claims against municipal or state entities require strict administrative notice timelines far shorter than three years. Waiting until near the expiration of the deadline weakens a claim, as roadway evidence disappears, surveillance footage is deleted, and witnesses become difficult to locate.