Pennsylvania injury rights, deadlines, and help

If you got hurt in Pennsylvania, the first thing to know is how much time you have to act. This page explains Pennsylvania's main injury deadlines, the steps to take first, and how to get free help from people on your side.

Your deadlines at a glance

Personal injury lawsuit: 2 years. Pennsylvania's statute of limitations (the legal deadline to file a lawsuit) generally gives you two years from the date of the injury. Source: 42 Pa.C.S. Section 5524(2) (statute text).
Work injury, telling your employer: 21 days, hard stop at 120. For workers' compensation (the insurance system that pays for work injuries), notice within 21 days protects your benefits from day one. No compensation is due until notice is given, and if no notice is given within 120 days, the claim is generally barred completely. Source: Workers' Compensation Act Section 311, 77 P.S. Section 631 (act text).
Work injury, filing the formal claim: 3 years. A claim petition generally must be filed within three years after the injury, or three years from the most recent compensation payment. Source: Workers' Compensation Act Section 315, 77 P.S. Section 602 (act text).
Hurt by a government agency: 6 months. A written statement of the claim generally must reach the government unit within six months of the injury, and for state agencies also the Attorney General. Late claims can be dismissed without a reasonable excuse. The lawsuit itself still runs on the normal two-year limit. Source: 42 Pa.C.S. Section 5522(a) (statute text).

One more caution: medical claims can have different, often shorter deadlines. If a doctor or hospital hurt you, treat the clock as urgent and get advice early.

What to do first

Get medical care right away, even if the injury seems small. Your health comes first, and the record matters later.
Report the injury in writing. For work injuries, aim for the 21-day window, and never let 120 days pass. Keep a copy.
Save evidence. Take photos, keep receipts, write down names of witnesses, and keep every medical paper.
Write down the date of the injury and count your deadlines from it. Put them on a calendar.
If any government property or vehicle was involved, treat the 6-month notice deadline as your first priority.
Do not sign anything from an insurance company before you understand your full costs.
Talk to someone who is on your side before you make big decisions.

Common situations in Pennsylvania

Hurt at work

Telling your employer and filing the formal claim are two different steps. The notice clock is short (21 days for full benefits, 120 days as the absolute bar), while the claim petition clock is longer (three years). Many people mix the two up in both directions: some think reporting was the claim, others think they have three years to say anything at all. Do not guess about where you stand. Get help reading your own timeline.

Hurt on the road

Pennsylvania uses modified comparative negligence (a fault-sharing rule). Your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, and you are barred entirely if your fault is greater than the combined fault of everyone else. In plain words, at 51 percent fault you recover nothing. Source: 42 Pa.C.S. Section 7102 (statute text). Insurers may push a high fault number onto you, so document everything.

Hurt on someone's property, including dog bites

Pennsylvania's dog-bite rule is a mix, based on the state Dog Law and court decisions. In general terms, an owner is strictly liable for the victim's medical costs, while other damages, like pain and lost wages, require showing negligence or that the owner knew the dog was dangerous. Courts have also treated an unexcused violation of the Dog Law, such as letting a dog run loose, as negligence in itself. Source: overview of 3 P.S. Section 459-502(b) and Miller v. Hurst (summary). Evidence about the dog's history and how it got loose matters a lot, so gather it early.

A real story: the lawyer who spent his client's settlement

In 2012, 18-year-old Branden Thornton was hit by a vehicle while walking along a road in Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania. He suffered a traumatic brain injury, spent three months in a coma, and needed around-the-clock care. His family hired an attorney who settled the case for more than $1.1 million. The lawyer took his $276,250 fee, and prosecutors say he then drained more than $563,000 of Branden's remaining funds on home renovations, vacations, plastic surgery, tuition, and online shopping. He was disbarred in 2019 after Branden's mother complained to the state disciplinary office, and he was charged with felony theft in 2020. Source: ABA Journal.

Winning the case is not the end of the road. Check any lawyer's discipline record before hiring, and demand a written accounting of every settlement dollar. The system is unforgiving, and that is exactly why having someone on your side matters.

What we can help with

We are the injured person's advocate. We are on your side, and our help is always free to you.

We listen to what happened and help you make sense of it.
We explain your rights and deadlines in plain words.
We help you get organized: what to report, what to save, what to ask.
We point you to the right licensed help, whether that is medical care, therapy, state benefits, or a lawyer when one is needed.
We never take money from injured people.

Tell us what happened

If you or someone you love was hurt in Pennsylvania, you do not have to figure this out alone. Tell us what happened and we will help you understand your next step. It is free, 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.