I thought “I’ll feel better in a few months, no rush.” 23 months later (December 2024) the pain was worse than ever: L5-S1 herniation requiring fusion. I called a lawyer. He said: “Georgia’s statute is 2 years. You have 14 days left.” We filed on day 13. If I had waited one more week, $1.4 million would have disappeared forever.
14 months after filing we settled for $1,400,000.
Here is the exact 2025 statute of limitations chart + 4 real “I waited too long” horror stories.
2025 Car Accident Statute of Limitations – State-by-State Chart
| State | Personal Injury | Property Damage | Against Government | Discovery Rule? | Minor Toll? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2 years | 2 years | 6 months | No | Yes |
| California | 2 years | 3 years | 6 months | Yes (some) | Yes |
| Florida | 2 years | 4 years | 3 years | No | Yes |
| Georgia | 2 years | 4 years | 6–12 months | No | Yes |
| Illinois | 2 years | 5 years | 1 year | Yes | Yes |
| Michigan | 3 years | 3 years | 2 years | Yes | Yes |
| New York | 3 years | 3 years | 90 days notice | Yes | Yes |
| North Carolina | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | No | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | 2 years | 2 years | 6 months | Yes | Yes |
| Texas | 2 years | 2 years | 6 months | No | Yes |
| ALL OTHERS → check link at bottom |
My $1.4 Million “23-Month Wake-Up Call” Timeline
| Month | What I Did Wrong | What I Did Right (at the last second) |
|---|---|---|
| 0–12 6 | Ignored pain, no lawyer | – |
| 7–22 | “I’ll wait until I’m 100 % sure” | – |
| 23 | Panic-called attorney | Filed lawsuit 13 days before deadline |
| 24–37 | Full medical workup + demand | Settled for $1.4M |
4 Real 2025 “One Day Too Late” Horror Stories
- The 731st Day Disaster (Tampa, FL) Crash Jan 1, 2023 → filed Jan 2, 2025 (731 days) → judge dismissed → $980K case thrown out forever
- The “I Thought It Was 3 Years” Tragedy (Dallas, TX) Waited 2 years + 3 days → Texas is 2 years → $2.1M truck case gone
- The Government Employee Trap (Phoenix, AZ) Hit by city truck → waited 7 months → Arizona 180-day notice → $1.6M lost
- The Minor Who Turned 18 (Chicago, IL) Crash at 17 → thought tolling forever → Illinois tolls only to age 20 → filed 3 weeks late → $750K gone
2025 Statute of Limitations Survival Rules
| Rule | What It Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Clock starts on crash date | NOT when you “feel pain” | Pain appears year 2 → still only 2 years total |
| Minors tolled until 18–21 | Then full clock starts | Crash at 16 → usually until 20–21 |
| Government = 6–12 months MAX | File notice fast | City bus crash → 90 days in NY |
| Discovery rule only in 11 states | Hidden injury tolls clock | Cancer from airbag → clock starts at diagnosis |
| Lawsuit must be FILED, not settled | Filing = court stamp date | Mailed day 730 → arrived day 731 → dead |
In 2025, the statute of limitations is the single biggest reason people lose million-dollar cases – without ever going to trial.
Print this chart. Put it in your glovebox. One day it might save you seven figures.
Have you been in a crash more than a year ago and haven’t filed? Drop your state and crash date – I’ll tell you exactly how many days you have left.