Key facts: Pennsylvania
- Wrongful death deadline
- 2 years
- When the clock starts
- Generally the date of injury for personal injury claims; the date of death for wrongful death. Pennsylvania follows the discovery rule for most negligence claims, which delays accrual when the injury was not, or could not reasonably have been, discovered at the time.
- Last verified
- 2026-05-22
- Source type
- Primary (state code or court opinion)
Details and exceptions for Pennsylvania
Two years for both PI and wrongful death under 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5524(2). Wrongful death runs from the date of death. The Sovereign Immunity Act and Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act require notice within six months for government defendants.
Related: Pennsylvania comparative negligence rule
Pennsylvania follows a modified 51% bar rule. Modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar; recovery is permitted when the plaintiff’s negligence is "not greater than" the causal negligence of defendants.
Read the full Pennsylvania comparative negligence rule →This page is informational and does not constitute legal advice. Notice deadlines for claims against governmental units, medical malpractice, intentional torts, and other special categories run on separate tracks and can be much shorter. Confirm the controlling rule with a licensed Pennsylvania attorney before relying on it.