US accident claims · checked against the statutes
How long do you have to file, and what happens if you were partly at fault?
Plain-English guides to the rules that decide an accident claim in every US state. Every deadline and fault rule links to the statute it comes from, so you can check it yourself.
Start here
Deadlines
Statute of limitations by state
How long you have to file an injury lawsuit in all 50 states and DC, with each statute linked.
Fault
Comparative negligence by state
What happens to your claim if you were 10%, 50% or 60% at fault, state by state.
Checklist
What to do after a car accident
The scene, the evidence, and the short deadlines in the first 30 days.
Fees
How contingency fees work
What an injury lawyer takes from a settlement, with a calculator for your own numbers.
Hiring a lawyer and settling
Deciding
Do you need a lawyer?
When an accident lawyer is worth the fee, when it is not, and who may contact you after a crash.
Choosing
How to choose an accident lawyer
Questions to ask, the fee agreement, and the official license lookup in every state.
Timeline
How long a settlement takes
The stages of a claim and the deadlines insurers must meet in 11 states.
Rideshare
Uber and Lyft accidents
Who pays in each app period, and the insurance each state requires.
By type of accident
Trucks
Truck accident liability
Who pays after a truck crash, the federal rules that prove it, and how long carriers keep the records.
Motorcycles
Helmet laws by state
Who must wear a helmet in every state, and whether going without one can reduce a claim.
Maritime
Jones Act and offshore injuries
Seamen, dock and platform workers: which federal law covers you and the deadlines.
Fatal accidents
Wrongful death by state
The deadline for a family’s claim and who may file it, in all 50 states and DC.
Why this site is different
Most pages about accident deadlines are written by law firms, and few link to the law they summarize. Some are out of date. Florida halved its negligence deadline in 2023, Louisiana doubled its deadline in 2024 and changed its fault rule in 2026, and New York changed the fault rule for car crash suits in 2026.
Here, every rule is read in the statute or court decision itself and checked a second time before it is published. Each page shows when it was last checked. How the checking works.
Accident Law Guide is an independent reference written by a non-lawyer. It doesn’t take cases, refer clients or get paid by law firms. For advice on your own claim, talk to a licensed attorney in your state. About the site.