Arkansas Personal Injury Laws, Deadlines and Local Guides

Personal injury claims in Arkansas

This is the Arkansas hub of the Ask Legal Matters injury law guides. It summarizes the rules that apply to every injury claim in the state and links to local guides for 190 Arkansas communities, each with pages on car, truck, motorcycle and pedestrian accidents, slip and fall injuries, workplace injuries and workers' compensation, medical malpractice and wrongful death.

Arkansas gives injured people three years to file most personal injury lawsuits (Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105) and a different deadline for medical malpractice (two years). The state follows modified comparative negligence (50% bar): you can recover only if you were less than 50% at fault, and your award is reduced by your share of fault. Arkansas is an at-fault auto insurance state with minimum liability limits of 25/50/25. Injury cases are tried in the Circuit Court of the county where the accident happened, and work injuries must be reported to your employer on the Workers' Compensation Commission's Form N (Ark. Code § 11-9-701); the law sets no number of days, but the employer owes no benefits for the time before it receives your report.

Arkansas at a glance

In Arkansas, most injury lawsuits must be filed within three years (Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105). The state follows modified comparative negligence (50% bar): you can recover only if you were less than 50% at fault, and your award is reduced by your share of fault. Arkansas is an at-fault car insurance state, so the at-fault driver's liability insurance pays first; the minimum liability coverage is 25/50/25.

Arkansas at a glance
Rule	In Arkansas
Personal injury deadline	three years from the injury (Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105)
Medical malpractice deadline	two years (discovery-rule exceptions)
Fault rule	modified comparative negligence (50% bar)
Auto insurance	At-fault
Minimum auto liability	25/50/25
Trial court	County Circuit Court
Workers' compensation	Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission
Workers' comp claim deadline	About two years

Sources: Arkansas Judiciary; Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission; Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105. Last checked: November 2, 2026. Citation cross-checked against secondary 50-state compilations (MWL 2022 chart, FindLaw, Justia); primary statute text not read for every state.

Reporting the crash in Arkansas

In Arkansas, the driver must notify the nearest law enforcement agency immediately of a crash that injures or kills anyone or causes total property damage that appears to be $3,000 or more (Ark. Code § 27-53-202, as amended by Act 815 of 2023). The Department of Finance and Administration also requires an SR-1 accident report within 30 days when anyone is injured or killed or any one person's property damage exceeds $1,000.

Who must report: Police notice: the driver in a crash that injures or kills anyone or causes apparent total property damage of $3,000 or more. SR-1 report: a crash with injury, death or more than $1,000 of damage to any one person's property
Report to: Police notice: the nearest law enforcement agency. SR-1 report: the Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Driver Services
Deadline: Police notice: immediately. SR-1 report: within 30 days
Driver's form: Accident Report with Verification of Liability Insurance (SR 1-21)
Copy of the crash report: Arkansas State Police: crash records

Sources: Arkansas Act 815 of 2023 (Ark. Code § 27-53-202); Arkansas DFA: Safety Responsibility; Arkansas.gov: Accident Report SR 1-21; Arkansas State Police: crash records. Checked November 3, 2026. General information, not legal advice; local rules and police practice can add steps.

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Arkansas injury guides by county

Every Arkansas county has its own page covering the county court, the state rules and every community in the county, large or small.

Largest communities in Arkansas

More Arkansas city guides: Conway, AR, Hot Springs, AR.

Arkansas cities with the most fatal crashes, 2020-2024

These Arkansas communities recorded the most fatal crashes coded to them in NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System from 2020 through 2024. Each community page ranks its own roads by fatal crashes and breaks down its numbers by year and time of day.

Arkansas claims by injury type

Read the statute of limitations overview for every state for a side-by-side comparison of filing deadlines.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Arkansas?

Generally three years from the date of injury (Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105). Medical malpractice claims generally must be filed within two years, and claims against government entities require a notice of claim much sooner.

What happens if I was partly at fault in Arkansas?

Arkansas applies modified comparative negligence (50% bar): you can recover only if you were less than 50% at fault, and your award is reduced by your share of fault.

Is Arkansas a no-fault state?

No. Arkansas is an at-fault state; the negligent driver's liability insurance (minimum 25/50/25) is the primary source of compensation.

Where are injury lawsuits filed in Arkansas?

In the Circuit Court of the county where the accident happened or where the defendant resides. Claims against out-of-state companies may be removed to federal court.

How do I find a personal injury lawyer near me in Arkansas?

Choose your county or community below for local information, or click the free claim review button; your request may be shared with independent attorneys and legal services partners who handle inquiries in Arkansas.

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