California Statute of Limitations

A statute of limitation is a common law legal system that sets forth the maximum time period after certain events such as a wrongful death that legal proceedings may be initiated.
Statutes of limitations are predicated by fairness. Statutes of limitations provide closure which encourages courts and law enforcement agencies to handle a wrongful death or personal injury lawsuit in a timely way.

California statutes of limitations

• For negligence – 2 years
• For medical malpractice – 3 years from injury or 1 year from discovery of injury (whichever occurs first)
• For product negligence – 2 years or 2 years with discovery rule
• For wrongful death – asbestos cases=1yr of (D.O.D) or from first knowing; others = 2 years of D.O.D.
• For survival – 1 year

Caps on attorney’s award is a sliding scale, not to exceed 40% of first $50,000, 33 1/3% of next $50,000, 25% of next $500,000, and 15% of damages exceeding $600,000.
California limits noneconomic damages for medical malpractice cases and product liability cases to $250,000; ditto for pharmaceutical cases.

California minor tolling-Except in cases of medical malpractice or wrongful death, a minor has two years from the date of his or her 18th birthday to file a tort claim.

Local Trial Lawyers
Consumer Attorneys of California
770 L Street, Suite 1200
Sacramento, CA 95814
916.442.6902
http://www.caoc.com/CA/index.cfm

State Police
California Highway Patrol
PO Box 942898
Sacramento, CA 94298-0001
916.657.7261
http://www.chp.ca.gov/index.html

Pennsylvania Statute of Limitations
In Pennsylvania, the statute of limitation for a wrongful death, personal injury, product liability, and medical malpractice lawsuit is two years.

Please fill out the form below to see if you have a wrongful death case.

* Required Fields. * Click on the Disclaimer, below, for Terms PERSONAL INFORMATION
First Name:
Last Name:
E-mail Address:
Address:
City:
State:	-Please Select- Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Zipcode:
Phone:	() - ext.
INCIDENT INFORMATION
Date of Accident:	January February March April May June July August September October November December 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 1906 1905 1904 1903 1902
Date of Death:	January February March April May June July August September October November December 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 1906 1905 1904 1903 1902
Name of Deceased:
Location of Accident:	-Please Select- Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Please describe what happened (cause of accident):
Comments/Questions: