Indiana car accident statute of limitations: two years, with notice traps
The Indiana car accident statute of limitations is two years, but notice rules can be shorter. Call free.
Indiana gives you two years to sue for both your injuries and your car, under IC 34-11-2-4. The trap is a crash with a public vehicle. A claim against a city or county needs written notice within 180 days and one against the state within 270.
The deadlines in Indiana
| What | Time limit | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Injury lawsuit | Two years | IC 34-11-2-4 |
| Car or property damage lawsuit | Two years | IC 34-11-2-4 |
| Shared fault | Barred above 50 percent | IC 34-51-2-6 |
| Minimum liability cover | $25,000 / $50,000 / $25,000 | Indiana BMV |
| Notice to a city, county or other local body | 180 days | IC 34-13-3-8 |
| Notice to the state | 270 days | IC 34-13-3-6 |
Indiana’s notice deadlines for public vehicles
If a police car, a city truck or a state vehicle was involved, the first deadline is a notice, not a lawsuit. A political subdivision, meaning a city, county or similar local body, must get written notice within 180 days, under IC 34-13-3-8.
The state must get notice within 270 days, filed with the attorney general or the agency involved, under IC 34-13-3-6. Talks with an adjuster do not stop either clock.
How Indiana splits the blame
Indiana bars recovery only when your fault is greater than the combined fault of everyone else, under IC 34-51-2-6. At exactly 50 percent you still recover half. Claims against government bodies sit outside that law, under IC 34-51-2-2, so fault there is judged under other rules.
Indiana insurance minimums
Indiana is an at-fault state. Every driver must carry at least $25,000 per person, $50,000 per crash and $25,000 for property, according to the Indiana BMV. If the other driver had no insurance, your own uninsured motorist cover may step in.
When to call an Indiana car accident lawyer
Call soon if any public vehicle or road crew was part of the crash, because 180 days pass fast. For other crashes, aim to call by month 18. An attorney needs time to build the file and sue in the right county. It costs nothing to ask and the lawyer is paid out of a win, never up front.
Other states: Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky or every state on one page.
Indiana car accident statute of limitations questions
How long do I have to sue after a car accident in Indiana?
Two years from the crash, for both injuries and vehicle damage.
What if a city vehicle hit me in Indiana?
Send written notice to the city within 180 days. Without it, the claim can be barred.
Can I get paid in Indiana if I was partly at fault?
Yes, if your fault is not greater than everyone else’s combined. Your share comes off the award.
Is Indiana a no-fault state?
No. The at-fault driver’s liability insurance pays for the harm they cause.
Before the clock runs out
Indiana’s notice rules can end a claim against a city in months, not years. Ring before you sign anything and a lawyer will look at your deadline and the offer without charge.
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