Statute of limitations in Oregon

A statute of limitations is the legal deadline for filing a lawsuit in Oregon. Once that window closes, a court can dismiss the case no matter how strong the underlying facts might be. For many personal injury claims, Oregon sets that period at 2 years under Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.110. The figure sounds simple, yet the calendar can move in ways a claimant does not expect.

In practice, the deadline shapes decisions early. Someone hurt in a fall or a crash generally has 2 years from the date the claim arises to file suit. Waiting until the final weeks leaves little room to gather records, identify the right defendant, or resolve a dispute without going to court.

This guide explains the general rule, describes how Oregon courts think about when a deadline starts, and points you toward the official statute. It offers general legal information, not advice about your own situation. Because timing questions turn on specific facts, confirming the deadline that fits your matter with a licensed Oregon attorney is a sensible step.

Most deadlines run from the moment a claim accrues. Accrual is the point when the legal right to sue exists, and for many injuries that is the day the harm occurs. The clock then counts forward across calendar days, including weekends and holidays, though courts commonly treat a deadline that lands on a weekend or holiday as extended to the next business day.

Not every injury announces itself at once. Oregon recognizes that some harms stay hidden, and its courts apply discovery-type reasoning to decide when a person knew or reasonably should have known of an injury and its probable cause. Under that approach, the period can begin when the injury is discovered rather than when it first happened. The details vary by claim type and by the wording of the governing statute.

Because accrual and discovery questions turn on facts, two people with similar injuries can face different filing dates. The clearest reading of any deadline comes from the statute that controls the specific claim, paired with a careful look at when the claim actually arose.

Certain circumstances pause, or toll, the running of a deadline. When the injured person is a minor, Oregon law generally holds the clock in a way that protects the child's right to sue, so the period may not run in the ordinary manner while the person is under the age of majority. A similar principle can apply when someone has a legal disability that prevents them from managing a claim.

A defendant's absence from the state can also affect the count. When a person who would be sued leaves Oregon, the time they are gone may not count toward the deadline, which keeps a defendant from running out the clock by staying away.

Claims against government bodies follow their own track. Oregon requires notice to the public entity within a set window, and that window is shorter than the period for filing the lawsuit itself. Because those notice rules carry their own timing and are not listed in the table above, treat them as separate, and confirm the exact requirements in the official code or with a licensed attorney before you rely on any date.

This page currently lists one claim type, and the citation below comes directly from the Oregon Revised Statutes.

Personal injury carries a 2 year deadline under Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.110. This category covers harm to a person rather than to property, and it reaches common situations such as injuries from a motor vehicle crash, a fall on someone's property, or another person's careless conduct. The 2 year period is the general rule for these claims, though the exceptions described earlier can shift when the clock starts or pauses.

Other claim types run on different schedules. Written contracts, professional malpractice, defamation, fraud, and claims tied to property each carry their own periods, and several of them differ from the personal injury figure shown here. Because those deadlines are not part of the table on this page, this guide does not assign a number to them. When your question involves one of those categories, check the current Oregon Revised Statutes for the section that governs it, or ask a licensed Oregon attorney to identify the controlling period.

A few informational steps can help you protect your position while a deadline approaches. Keep records in one place. Medical bills, photographs, repair estimates, correspondence, and a written timeline of what happened all become harder to reconstruct as months pass, and they support whatever claim you may bring.

Confirm the period that applies before you count on any date. The general personal injury rule is 2 years under Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.110, yet the exceptions above, the way your claim accrued, and the identity of the defendant can all change the real deadline. Reading the statute that governs your claim, rather than a general summary, gives you the controlling language.

Talking with a licensed Oregon attorney early is worthwhile, especially if a government body may be involved or if you are unsure when your claim arose. An attorney can confirm the deadline, flag any notice requirement, and preserve options that a late filing would close off. General information like this guide is a starting point, not a substitute for advice about your own facts.