Arkansas injury rights, deadlines, and help

If you were hurt in Arkansas, you probably want one answer first: how long do I have to act? This page gives you Arkansas's main injury deadlines, what to do right now, and where free help is.

We are the injured person's advocate. Our help is always free to you.

The deadline box: Arkansas's key time limits

Arkansas gives you more time than many states for a lawsuit, but the workers compensation rules and the government claim rules have their own traps.

• Personal injury lawsuit: 3 years. Arkansas courts apply the 3-year statute of limitations (the legal deadline to file a lawsuit) in Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105 to personal injury cases based on negligence. (Source)
• Work injury, report to your employer: right away. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-701(a), you report the injury promptly on your employer's form, and benefits are not owed for any time before the injury is reported. There is no fixed day count, but every day you wait is a day the system can refuse to pay for. (Source)
• Work injury, file the claim: 2 years. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-702, a workers compensation claim (the state system that pays for work injuries) must be filed within 2 years of the compensable injury. Death claims: 2 years from the death. Claims for additional compensation: 1 year from the last payment or 2 years from the injury, whichever is greater. (Source)
• Injury involving the government: a different door entirely. Arkansas is unusual. You generally cannot sue the state in court at all. Claims against the state go to the Arkansas State Claims Commission. Cities and counties are immune from tort damages except to the extent they carry liability insurance, under Ark. Code Ann. § 21-9-301. (Source)

One more caution. Medical claims against doctors or hospitals can run on different, often shorter deadlines than the general 3-year rule. Do not assume the 3-year clock covers a hospital or doctor case.

What to do first

1. Get medical care now. Your health comes first, and the records also document your injury.
2. If it happened at work, report it today, and ask for the employer's injury form. In Arkansas, benefits do not start until the injury is reported.
3. Write down what happened while it is fresh: date, time, place, people, and conditions.
4. Take photos of the scene, your injuries, and anything involved (a vehicle, a wet floor, a machine, a dog).
5. Get names and contact information for witnesses.
6. Do not sign anything from an insurance company before you understand your full medical and repair costs.
7. Note who owns the place where you were hurt. If it is government property, the path forward is different and worth checking early.

Common situations in Arkansas

Hurt at work. The two-clock trap is real here: reporting and filing are separate steps. Report on your employer's form right away, then make sure the formal claim is filed within 2 years. Do not assume that telling a coworker or a supervisor in passing counts as a report. Use the form, keep a copy.

Hurt on the road. Arkansas uses modified comparative fault. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 16-64-122, you can recover if your share of fault is less than 50 percent, and your recovery is reduced by your share. At 50 percent or more, you recover nothing. (Source) That makes early evidence important, because the difference between 45 percent fault and 50 percent fault is the difference between a reduced recovery and zero.

Hurt on someone's property. Falls and dog bites follow the same 3-year lawsuit clock. Arkansas has no statewide dog bite statute. Courts use older judge-made rules, sometimes called the one-bite rule, which ask whether the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous, plus ordinary negligence. Evidence about the dog's history matters a lot, and it is hard to gather on your own.

A true story: the $1,000 phone call

In 2021, 18-year-old Rayza Dominguez was rear-ended in Frisco, Texas. Just hours after the crash, the other driver's insurance company called her. The rep offered $1,000 on the spot and told her that if she did not take it now, there was no guarantee the offer would stay that high. She said yes over the phone, with no lawyer and no idea what her damages really were. In Texas at the time, that spoken yes was a binding settlement. She then learned repairs alone would cost almost $2,400, and she needed care for her injuries. She could not go back for more money. (Source: CBS Texas)

Her story is from Texas, but the same fast-settlement calls happen everywhere, including Arkansas. Having 3 years to file does not mean you have 3 years of safety. The riskiest window is the first week, when the insurer knows more than you do. That is not your fault. It is simply why getting advice before you accept anything protects you.

What we can help with

We are on your side, and our help is free to injured people. We can help you:

• Understand which Arkansas deadlines apply to your situation
• Report your work injury correctly, on the right form, today
• Organize your records, photos, and timeline
• Understand what a fair settlement conversation looks like before you take any call
• Find the right next step: medical care, therapy, state benefits, or a licensed attorney when your case needs one
• Prepare questions to ask before you hire any lawyer

We do not give legal advice, and we never take money from injured people. We explain your rights in plain language and connect you with licensed help when you need it.

Tell us what happened

If you or someone you love was hurt in Arkansas, you do not have to sort this out alone. Tell us what happened. It is free, private, and there is no pressure.

Sources

• Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105 (3-year time limit)
• Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-701 (workers comp reporting)
• Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-702 (workers comp claim deadline)
• Ark. Code Ann. § 21-9-301 (local government immunity)
• Ark. Code Ann. § 16-64-122 (comparative fault)

Last reviewed: 2026-08-16

This is general information, not legal advice. Deadlines can change or vary with the facts. A licensed attorney can confirm the rule for your situation.