New Jersey injury rights, deadlines, and help

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

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The deadline box: New Jersey's key time limits

Personal injury lawsuit: 2 years. Under N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2 (N.J.S.A. is New Jersey Statutes Annotated, the state's law code), most injury lawsuits must be filed within 2 years. This is the statute of limitations (the legal deadline to file a lawsuit). (Source)
Work injury, report to your employer: 14 days for full protection. Under N.J.S.A. 34:15-17, notice within 14 days means no loss of benefits. Notice within 30 days still works unless the employer proves it was harmed by the delay. If the employer has no notice or knowledge within 90 days, the claim is barred. (Source)
Work injury, file the claim: 2 years. Under N.J.S.A. 34:15-51, a claim petition must reach the Division of Workers' Compensation (the state agency for work-injury benefits) within 2 years of the accident, or within 2 years of the last compensation payment. (Source)
Injury involving the government: 90 days. Under N.J.S.A. 59:8-8, the Tort Claims Act requires a written notice of claim to the public entity within 90 days of the injury. After the notice, you must wait 6 months before filing suit, and the suit is barred 2 years after the injury. Courts can allow a late notice up to 1 year, but only for extraordinary circumstances. (Source)

Two warnings. First, the 90-day government notice is the trap that ends the most cases. New Jersey is dense with public property: NJ Transit, public schools, county roads, boardwalks, municipal buildings. If any government body might be involved, act in days, not months. Second, medical claims can have different, often shorter deadlines. Do not assume the 2-year rule covers a hospital or doctor case.

What to do first

Get medical care now. Your health comes first, and the records also document your injury.
If it happened at work, give your employer written notice today. Fourteen days is the safe harbor, but same-day written notice is the strong move. Keep a copy.
Write down what happened while it is fresh: date, time, place, people, and conditions.
Take photos of the scene, your injuries, and anything involved (a vehicle, a broken curb, a machine).
Get names and contact information for witnesses.
Do not sign anything from an insurance company before you understand your full costs.
Ask one question early: could a public entity own this? A bus, a school, a sidewalk, a park. If maybe, the 90-day clock is already running.

Common situations in New Jersey

Hurt at work. New Jersey's tiered notice rule rewards speed: 14 days is full protection, 90 days with no notice at all is the cliff. Report in writing the same day, even for injuries that seem minor. Then remember that reporting is not filing. The claim petition has its own 2-year deadline with the Division.

Hurt on the road. New Jersey uses modified comparative negligence (a rule that reduces or blocks recovery based on your share of fault). Under N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.1, you can recover as long as your fault is not greater than the other side's, with your damages reduced by your share. (Source) Your insurance choices also shape your right to sue for pain and suffering in this state, so read your policy's lawsuit option carefully and ask questions early.

Hurt on someone's property. Falls, dog bites, and unsafe conditions follow the same 2-year lawsuit clock. Dog bites are covered by a strong strict liability statute. Under N.J.S.A. 4:19-16, the owner is liable for a bite in a public place or while you are lawfully in a private place, regardless of whether the dog ever showed viciousness before. (Source) If the fall or bite happened on public property, the 90-day notice controls everything.

A true story: she did not know about the 90-day rule

On November 13, 2021, Judith Romero fell on a broken, uneven, deteriorated part of a roadway owned and maintained by New York City. She was hurt and wanted the city to pay. New York, like New Jersey, requires a formal notice of claim within 90 days when you are injured on public property. Judith did not send hers until June 2022, about four months past the deadline, because she did not know the rule existed. The court refused to accept her late notice. The judges said that not knowing about the deadline is not a legal excuse, and an appeals court agreed in 2025. Her claim against the city was over before it started. (Source: Matter of Romero v City of New York, App. Div. 2025)

Her story is from across the Hudson, but New Jersey's 90-day rule works the same way, and "I didn't know" fails here too. The system is unforgiving about notice. That is not your fault. It is simply why the first weeks after an injury matter so much, and why having an advocate who knows the clocks helps.

What we can help with

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

Understand which New Jersey deadlines apply to your situation
Figure out fast whether a public entity is involved and what the 90-day notice needs to say
Put your work-injury notice in writing correctly, today
Organize your records, photos, and timeline
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 New Jersey, you do not have to sort this out alone. Tell us what happened. It is free, private, and there is no pressure.

Sources

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.