Arkansas · Personal injury

Arkansas Personal Injury Deadline, Fault, and Damages Rules

3 years general negligence, product liability, and wrongful death; 2 years medical malpractice.

4 rules checked against governing sourcesSources checked through Jul 3, 2026Inspect the coverage gate

Answer first, sources attached

Four liability rules to check first

Limitations, government notice, fault, and damages rules can change both case selection and the first preservation steps.

Pre-suit notice

Government claim notice

No separate statewide ante-litem notice requirement recorded for ordinary local-government tort defendants; state claims route through the Arkansas Claims Commission.

Ark. Code Ann. § 19-10-204.

Verified Jul 3, 2026 · Next review by Jul 3, 2027

Recovery threshold

Comparative fault rule

Modified comparative fault; claimant barred at 50% or more fault.

Ark. Code Ann. § 16-64-122.

Verified Jul 3, 2026 · Next review by Jul 3, 2027

Remedy limits

Damage caps

No general ordinary compensatory cap recorded; Arkansas constitutional law restricts statutory damage caps.

Ark. Const. art. 5, § 32.

Verified Jul 3, 2026 · Next review by Jul 3, 2027

What changes the answer

The statewide rule is the starting point

  • Claim and defendant typeMedical, product, wrongful-death, government, and other claims may use different clocks.
  • Accrual and discoveryThe event that starts a limitation period can be disputed or claim-specific.
  • Minority, incapacity, and tollingStatutory tolling and repose rules can change or override the general period.
  • Allocation and damages categoryFault thresholds and caps may apply differently by defendant, conduct, and remedy.

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This page reports source-linked state rules and review dates. It does not calculate a deadline, determine eligibility, select a procedure, value a claim, or apply law to an individual situation. Verify the cited authority, local procedure, and current law before relying on a rule.