Utah Personal Injury Statute of Limitations: How Long You Have to Sue
General information, not legal advice. Read the full disclaimer.
Short answer: Utah has no single deadline for injury lawsuits. Many ordinary negligence claims — car accidents, slip and falls — fall under the four-year catch-all in Utah Code § 78B-2-307(4) ("relief not otherwise provided for by law"), but important claims have shorter deadlines: wrongful death is two years (§ 78B-2-304(3)); medical malpractice is two years from discovery, capped at four years from the act (§ 78B-3-404); product liability is two years from discovering the harm and its cause (§ 78B-6-706); and claims against government entities require a written notice of claim within one year (§ 63G-7-402) and a lawsuit within two years after the claim arises (§ 63G-7-403). Time stops running while the injured person is under 18 (§ 78B-2-108). Missing the right deadline can end the claim, so identify which one applies to your case.
Who this guide is for
Anyone in Utah with an injury who wants to know the filing deadline — not for settlement talks, which can continue informally, but for actually suing.
The deadlines at a glance
| Claim | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| General negligence (car accident injury, slip and fall, dog bite, etc.) | 4 years under the catch-all for relief not otherwise provided | § 78B-2-307(4) |
| Damage to your motor vehicle or personal property from a vehicle accident | 4 years | § 78B-2-307(3) |
| Wrongful death | 2 years | § 78B-2-304(3) |
| Medical malpractice | 2 years from discovery (or when it should have been discovered), but not more than 4 years after the act; 1 year after discovery for a foreign object left in the body or fraudulent concealment | § 78B-3-404 |
| Product liability | 2 years from when the claimant discovered, or should have discovered, both the harm and its cause | § 78B-6-706 |
| Claims against a Utah governmental entity or employee | Notice of claim within 1 year after the claim arises; no suit before 60 days after notice; suit within 2 years after the claim arises | §§ 63G-7-402, -403 |
| Claims against the federal government | Written claim to the agency within 2 years; suit within 6 months after a mailed denial | 28 U.S.C. § 2401(b) |
| Workers' compensation | Separate Labor Commission deadlines | See below |
Because the four-year rule is a catch-all, a claim with its own specific statute follows that statute. If you aren't sure which applies, assume the shortest plausible deadline and get advice immediately.
Exceptions and adjustments
- Minors. During the time an individual is under 18 or mentally incompetent without a legal guardian, the statute of limitations for the cause of action (other than recovery of real property) may not run (§ 78B-2-108). Don't assume this extends government notice deadlines or malpractice rules. See Utah Injury Claims for Children.
- Failed actions. If a timely action fails other than on the merits and the time has expired, a new action may be commenced within one year, but only once (§ 78B-2-111). Government claims have a similar rule in § 63G-7-403(3).
- Discovery. The malpractice and product liability statutes build in a discovery element; the general four-year catch-all, as written, doesn't say when a claim accrues, so don't rely on a discovery argument without advice.
Why precision matters
Missing a statute of limitations generally means permanently losing the right to sue, however strong the claim. An insurer that keeps negotiating doesn't extend the deadline, and ongoing medical treatment doesn't either. If a deadline is approaching, your lawyer may need to file suit to preserve your rights while negotiations continue.
Related guides
- Government claims: How to File a Notice of Claim Against a Utah Government Entity and Utah Governmental Immunity Act Claims
- Malpractice: Utah Medical Malpractice Statute of Limitations
- Wrongful death: Utah Wrongful Death Claims: Who Can File and Wrongful Death vs. Survival Actions
- Products: Utah's Product Liability Act Explained
- Federal claims: Injured by a Federal Employee in Utah?
- Workers' comp: How to File a Utah Workers' Compensation Claim
- Auto insurance deadlines: Utah Insurance Claim Deadlines and Response Times
- Timeline overview: How Long Does a Utah Personal Injury Claim Take?
- Where to file: Where to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Utah
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to sue after a Utah car accident?
Generally four years for an ordinary negligence claim under the § 78B-2-307 catch-all, but check for shorter deadlines if a government entity, a death, malpractice, or a product is involved.
Does the clock start on the accident date?
For general negligence, the statute doesn't state a discovery rule; treat the injury date as the start unless a lawyer advises otherwise. Malpractice and product claims build in discovery.
Does an insurance negotiation pause the deadline?
No.
What if the person who was injured was a child?
The statute of limitations generally doesn't run during minority, but government notice and other rules need separate attention.
What about a wrongful death?
Two years under § 78B-2-304(3).