Statute of Limitations in Texas

Don’t Wait Too Long To Get What’s Owed You

Our law firm receives many phone calls from people who are owed money or believe that they have a claim against another person or company. Approximately 1 out of every 6 of those phone calls are from people who have, unfortunately, waited too long to file a lawsuit to seek damages.  We have an ethical obligation to “shoot straight” with those people, and we do so, by informing them they’ve waited too long to take action.

What is the Statute of Limitations?

Texas, like all states, has a statute of limitations that defines the time period in which a lawsuit must be filed, as measured from the time of the incident leading to the dispute. After that time period, the injured party is no longer permitted to file a claim in a Texas state court to litigate the dispute.  The reasoning behind this statute is to help make sure that meritorious lawsuits are filed within a reasonable time or not at all.

How Does This Statute Work?

There are factors to consider. The period for someone to file a lawsuit varies based on the type of claim he or she may have against another party.  Generally, the period starts to run when a person suffers a loss or is injured.  (See the chart below).

Can This Period Be Extended?

Perhaps. It is understandable that a person is initially unable to discover that they have been damaged.  The law appreciates that reality and in certain circumstances, the court decides that fairness requires the statute of limitations to be extended for a period of time.  Determining the length of that time is quite involved, and the injured person should immediately contact an attorney to discuss the time frame.

What Are The Time Periods For My Case?

            Please refer to the below chart.

Texas Statute of Limitations*

Defamation 1 year
Fraud 4 years
Injury to personal property 2 years
Intentional torts 1 year
Libel 1 year
Medical malpractice 2 years from date of injury
Minors begins on date of 18th birthday
Open accounts for debt collections   4 years
Oral agreements 4 years
Personal injury 2 years from date of injury
Product liability 2 years
Promissory notes 4 years
Slander 1 year
Oil & gas – securities “scams” 3 years from the sale
Written contracts 4 years
Wrongful death 2 years from date of death

How The Dallas Firm of Mark A. Alexander, P.C. Can Help You

If you want to learn more about the Statute of Limitations in Texas, contact Commercial Litigation Attorney Mark Alexander today. Mark is active in the Dallas business community. He has represented hundreds of business clients all over Texas on a wide variety of business issues.

If you looking for a Commercial Litigation Lawyer in Plano, Frisco, or the DFW area contact Attorney Mark Alexander or call 972-544-6968 today to learn how he can help you with your case.

Statutes of limitations define the time period in which a lawsuit or other civil action must be filed, as measured from the date of the incident. Statutes of limitations also apply to criminal cases, prohibiting prosecutors from filing criminal after the passage of a specified number of years. Different states have different statutes of limitations for various types of civil actions and crimes, and Texas is no different. For instance, Texas has a four-year time limit to bring fraud cases, but a seven-year statute of limitations for arson charges.

*The statute of limitations laws presented are strictly provided to you “as-is.” While we believe that the legal information is accurate as of the date created, we cannot and do not provide any guarantee, analysis, or conclusions.  The law may have changed since this article was published.  The only way to ensure that the statute of limitations law you are reading is up to date and applies to your specific issue is to consult with an attorney licensed to practice law in the state of Texas.