Truck Accident Statute of Limitations in New York
In New York, the statute of limitations for a truck accident injury claim is generally 3 years from the date of the crash, and wrongful death claims run on a separate 2 years clock. If a government vehicle or entity was involved, a claim notice of roughly 90 days applies first — and missing that notice usually bars the claim regardless of the other deadlines.
- Personal injury
- 3 years
- Wrongful death
- 2 years
- Government notice
- 90 days
New York's 3 years is somewhat longer than the national median — but that extra room applies only to filing the lawsuit, not to preserving the proof.
This dataset has not yet been verified by an attorney. The statutory periods shown here are drafted from general legal reference material and are pending attorney review. Do not rely on them. Confirm any deadline with a licensed attorney in the relevant jurisdiction before acting on it.
The rules that apply here
What makes New York different
New York's 90-day notice of claim is strict and the follow-on deadline is one year and 90 days — not three years. With the MTA, the Thruway Authority, the Port Authority, DSNY and hundreds of municipal fleets all running heavy vehicles, a New York truck crash has an unusually high chance of falling under a deadline that expires before most people have finished physical therapy.
Personal injury
3 yearsThree years from the date of injury.
New York's 3 years is somewhat longer than the national median — but that extra room applies only to filing the lawsuit, not to preserving the proof.
Source: N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 214 ↗
Wrongful death
2 yearsTwo years from the date of death — a full year shorter than the injury period.
A detail that catches families out: in New York the wrongful death period is 1 year shorter than the injury period. A family working from the 3 years figure they saw online is using the wrong statute entirely.
Source: N.Y. E.P.T.L. § 5-4.1 ↗
Government claim notice
90 daysA notice of claim must be served within 90 days, and suit against a municipality must be commenced within one year and 90 days.
New York's 90-day notice is among the tightest in the country. It is short by design, and courts rarely have discretion to excuse a late notice.
Source: N.Y. Gen. Mun. Law § 50-e ↗
If the injured person was a minor
Tolled to 18Tolled during infancy, capped at ten years from the act for most claims.
If the injured person was under 18, the clock in New York is generally paused until their 18th birthday. The evidence is not paused, and in many cases the government notice is not either.
Source: N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 208 ↗
The second deadline
Why the evidence deadline is shorter than you think
Concretely: in New York the ordinary legal window is roughly 6 times longer than the six months federal law requires driver logs to be kept. Someone injured here can be 3 years from their filing deadline and weeks from losing the proof that would carry the case.
The records that decide a New York truck case are held by the trucking company, and they are destroyed on a federal schedule rather than a New York one. Driver logs must be kept for six months. Dashcam footage and telematics usually overwrite within thirty days. Engine control module data has no retention requirement at all and is routinely lost the moment the tractor is repaired or returned to service.
How record retention works, in full →- Dashcam & forward-facing video30 days
What the driver could actually see, and what the truck did in the seconds before impact.
- ECM / engine control module data30 days
Speed, throttle, brake application and hard-braking events immediately before the crash.
- Telematics & GPS breadcrumb data90 days
The route, the stops, the speed history and whether the schedule was achievable legally.
- Driver vehicle inspection reports90 days
Whether defects — brakes, tyres, lights — were reported before the crash and never repaired.
- Driver logs (Records of Duty Status)180 days
Whether the driver was over hours, fatigued, or being pushed past the legal limit.
What to do in the next 7 days
In rough order of how fast the thing you are protecting disappears.
- 01
Get a preservation letter to the carrier
- 02
Do not let the truck be repaired or released
- 03
Photograph everything, including yourself
- 04
Request the police report and the crash number
- 05
Do not give a recorded statement to the carrier's insurer
- 06
Write down what you remember, today
- 07
Get evaluated even if you feel fine
New York truck accident deadlines: common questions
What is the statute of limitations for a truck accident in New York?
In New York, the statute of limitations for a truck accident injury claim is generally 3 years from the date of the crash, and wrongful death claims run on a separate 2 years clock. If a government vehicle or entity was involved, a claim notice of roughly 90 days applies first — and missing that notice usually bars the claim regardless of the other deadlines. New York's 3 years is somewhat longer than the national median — but that extra room applies only to filing the lawsuit, not to preserving the proof.
How long do I have to file a wrongful death claim in New York?
Two years from the date of death — a full year shorter than the injury period. A detail that catches families out: in New York the wrongful death period is 1 year shorter than the injury period. A family working from the 3 years figure they saw online is using the wrong statute entirely.
What is the deadline if a government vehicle was involved in a New York truck crash?
A notice of claim must be served within 90 days, and suit against a municipality must be commenced within one year and 90 days. New York's 90-day notice is among the tightest in the country. It is short by design, and courts rarely have discretion to excuse a late notice.
Does the New York deadline change if the injured person is a child?
Tolled during infancy, capped at ten years from the act for most claims. If the injured person was under 18, the clock in New York is generally paused until their 18th birthday. The evidence is not paused, and in many cases the government notice is not either.
Why does evidence in a New York truck accident case disappear before the filing deadline?
Concretely: in New York the ordinary legal window is roughly 6 times longer than the six months federal law requires driver logs to be kept. Someone injured here can be 3 years from their filing deadline and weeks from losing the proof that would carry the case. Federal rules require motor carriers to retain driver Records of Duty Status for six months. Dashcam and telematics data typically overwrite within 30 days, and engine control module data has no retention requirement at all.
How does the New York deadline compare with neighbouring states?
In New York the personal injury period is 3 years. Nearby: New Jersey 2 years, Connecticut 2 years, Pennsylvania 2 years, Massachusetts 3 years. That matters more than it looks in trucking cases, because interstate freight crosses state lines as a matter of routine — the driver, the carrier, the trailer and the crash can sit in four different states, and which state's law governs can change the deadline. If you were hit far from home, get that question answered early.
Get the preservation letter moving
A free case review is the fastest route to a letter that stops the trucking company from destroying records on schedule. There is no cost, no obligation, and no fee unless there is a recovery.
Check New York deadlines ↑Important. This calculator gives a general estimate based on published statutory periods. It is not legal advice, it does not create an attorney-client relationship, and it cannot account for the facts of your specific situation. Filing deadlines are affected by tolling doctrines, discovery rules, the identity of the defendant, and exceptions that vary by jurisdiction and by case. Only a licensed attorney reviewing your actual circumstances can tell you what deadline applies to you. If a date shown here matters to a decision you are making, confirm it with an attorney before you rely on it. Lawsuit is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.