In most personal injury cases in Arizona, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit (A.R.S. § 12-542). Miss that deadline, and you can lose your right to recover compensation entirely — no matter how strong your case is.

Some situations shorten that window significantly. Claims against a government entity (a city, county, or state agency) typically require a formal notice of claim within 180 days, far sooner than the general two-year deadline.

Insurance companies know these deadlines too, and sometimes slow-walk negotiations hoping you'll run out of time. Evidence also fades — witnesses forget, skid marks disappear, and surveillance footage gets deleted.

The safest step is to talk to an attorney as soon as possible after an accident, even if you're not sure you want to file a claim yet. There's no cost to find out where you stand.