Alaska car accident statute of limitations: what two years means
The Alaska car accident statute of limitations gives you two years. Call free to check your date.
Alaska stands out in two ways. Its minimum liability limits, $50,000 per person and $100,000 per crash, are double what many states require. Its fault rule is also generous: blame lowers your award but never erases it. The deadline to sue is two years, under AS 09.10.070.
The deadlines in Alaska
| What | Time limit | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Injury lawsuit | Two years | AS 09.10.070 |
| Car or property damage lawsuit | Two years | AS 09.10.070 |
| Shared fault | Award reduced, never barred | AS 09.17.060 |
| Minimum liability cover | $50,000 / $100,000 / $25,000 | AS 28.22.101 |
| Wrongful death lawsuit | Two years from the death | AS 09.55.580 |
What can change your Alaska deadline
The same two years cover your injuries, damage to your vehicle and other personal property. A family bringing a death claim gets two years counted from the death, not the crash, under AS 09.55.580.
Children get less extra time than in many states. For an injury claim, only the time before a child’s eighth birthday is left out of the two years, under AS 09.10.140(c). Parents should not wait.
Pure comparative fault in Alaska
Alaska law says your own fault reduces your damages in proportion but does not bar recovery, under AS 09.17.060. That covers harm to your body and your property. A driver judged 60 percent to blame can still collect 40 percent of the loss.
That rule changes the insurer’s playbook. It cannot deny you outright for sharing blame, so it argues about percentages instead. Each point it shifts to you comes straight off the check.
Alaska insurance and the cost of losing
Every Alaska liability policy must cover at least $50,000 per person, $100,000 per crash and $25,000 for property. It must also carry uninsured and underinsured motorist cover in those amounts, under AS 28.22.101.
Alaska has an unusual court rule. Under Civil Rule 82, the side that wins a lawsuit is usually awarded part of its attorney fees. A losing side that went to trial can owe 30 percent of the winner’s reasonable fees.
When to call an Alaska car accident lawyer
Call before filing anything on your own, because Rule 82 makes a weak lawsuit costly. Call well ahead of the two-year mark too, so an attorney can weigh the case and the fee risk first. The call is free and you pay the lawyer only if you win.
Other states: Washington, Oregon, Hawaii or every state on one page.
Alaska car accident statute of limitations questions
How long do I have to sue after a car accident in Alaska?
Two years from the crash, for both injuries and vehicle damage, under AS 09.10.070.
Can I recover in Alaska if the crash was partly my fault?
Yes. Alaska uses pure comparative fault, so your award shrinks by your share but is never wiped out.
What insurance must Alaska drivers carry?
At least $50,000 per person, $100,000 per crash and $25,000 for property damage, plus matching uninsured motorist cover.
Can I owe fees if I lose a car accident case in Alaska?
Possibly. Civil Rule 82 usually gives the winner part of its attorney fees, which is one reason to get advice before suing.
Before the clock runs out
In Alaska, blame only trims your award, so the insurer fights over percentages. Call before you sign a release and a lawyer will check the offer and your deadline free.
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