Statutes of limitations govern the time limit in which a lawsuit must be started. These limits vary by the type of claim. The right to sue and recover damages ends when the statute of limitations expires. Below is a summary of Minnesota’s statutes of limitations regarding common personal injury and wrongful death claims.
Case: Wrongful Death
Time Limit: Three (3) Years from the date of the death
Authority: Minn. Stat. § 573.02, Subd. 1
Case: Car Accidents
Time Limit: Six (6) Years from the date of the injury
Authority: Minn. Stat. § 541.05, Subd. 1(5)
Case: Semi-Truck, Commercial Vehicle, or Bus Accidents
Time Limit: Six (6) Years from the date of the injury
Authority: Minn. Stat. § 541.05, Subd. 1(5)
Case: Bicycle Accidents
Time Limit: Six (6) Years from the date of the injury
Authority: Minn. Stat. § 541.05, Subd. 1(5)
Case: Pedestrian Accidents
Time Limit: Six (6) Years from the date of the injury
Authority: Minn. Stat. § 541.05, Subd. 1(5)
Case: Motorcycle Accidents
Time Limit: Six (6) Years from the date of the injury
Authority: Minn. Stat. § 541.05, Subd. 1(5)
Case: Product Liability
Time Limit: Four (4) Years from the date of the injury for an action based on strict liability
Authority: Minn. Stat. § 541.05, Subd. 2
Case: Dog Bites/Dog Attacks
Time Limit: Six (6) years from the date of the injury
Authority: Minn. Stat. § 541.05, Subd. 1(5)
Case: Boating, Jet Ski, or Watercraft Accidents
Time Limit: Six (6) years from the date of the injury
Authority: Minn. Stat. § 541.05, Subd. 1(5)
Case: Slip, Trip, Fall Accidents (Premises Injuries)
Time Limit: Two (2) years from discovery of injury caused by defective design or construction or no more than 10 years after substantial completion of project;
Six (6) years from injury due to negligent maintenance, operation, or inspection of property
Authority: Minn. Stat. § 541.051, Subd. 1(c)
Minn. Stat. § 541.05, Subd. 1(5)
Case: Dram Shop/Liquor Liability
Time Limit: Notice requirement of 240 days after attorney-client relationship begins.
Authority: Minn. Stat. § 340A.802, Subd. 2
Case: Medical Malpractice – Injury
Time Limit: Four (4) years from the date the “cause of action accrued.”
Authority: Minn. Stat. § 541.076
Case: Medical Malpractice – Death
Time Limit: Three years from the date of death, but not more than four years from the date the cause of action started.
Authority: Minn. Stat. § 541.076, Minn. Stat. § 573.02
Case: Minors – Special Statute of Limitations
Time Limit: One year after reaching the “age of majority” of 18 (with the exception in medical negligence cases, which are four-years plus seven-year tolling provision).
Authority: Minn. Stat. § 541.15(a)(1)
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