Statute of limitations for slip and fall in California

Rule or statute summary

Run this scenario in DocketMath using the Statute Of Limitations calculator.

For a slip-and-fall in California where you’re pursuing a personal injury claim for damages (for example, injuries caused by an allegedly dangerous condition on someone else’s property), the default statute of limitations (SOL) is 2 years.

This 2-year rule comes from California Code of Civil Procedure (CCP) § 335.1. In other words, unless a specific exception applies, you generally need to file your lawsuit within 24 months of the injury date.

Two practical realities to keep in mind when counting the deadline:

• Trigger is typically the injury date. In many slip-and-fall situations, the clock starts around the date of the slip/fall (not the date you later understand the full extent of your injuries).
• Some doctrines may pause (toll) the deadline, but tolling is highly fact-specific and not the same as the ordinary 2-year rule.

Citations

The general statute of limitations for California personal injury actions is:

• CCP § 335.1 — 2 years

General rule snapshot (from your provided jurisdiction data):

No claim-type-specific sub-rule was found in the jurisdiction data you provided. Accordingly, this post treats slip-and-fall personal injury as a general/default personal injury limitations scenario under CCP § 335.1.

Practical pitfall: People sometimes wait for medical treatment to “finish” before filing. Under the general rule, the limitations clock is usually measured from the injury date, so delays can create a limitations defense—even when treatment is ongoing.

Use the calculator

Use DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator to translate the general 2-year rule into an estimated filing deadline. Start here: /tools/statute-of-limitations

Run the Statute Of Limitations calculation in DocketMath, then save the output so it can be audited later: Open the calculator.

Inputs to enter (typical workflow)

1. Injury date (the slip/fall date, unless you have a clearly supported reason to use a different trigger tied to your facts)
2. Claim type: general personal injury (because your jurisdiction data supports the default rule under CCP § 335.1, not a specialized carve-out)
3. Tolling options/flags (only if your facts clearly support tolling—otherwise, leave them off so the result stays aligned with the general rule)

Output you should expect

With CCP § 335.1, the calculator will typically compute a deadline that reflects 2 years from your selected injury date (with whatever day-count method the tool uses). Use the result as a target deadline and double-check before relying on it—especially if you’re near the end of the window.

Example (illustrative)

• Injury date: March 10, 2026
• Default SOL period: 2 years under CCP § 335.1
• Calculated filing window (general): approximately up to March 10, 2028

How changes in inputs affect the result

• Later injury date → later deadline. Even small date changes can shift the outcome.
• Tolling selected → longer deadline (in the tool’s logic). This can be important, but tolling depends on facts; inaccurate tolling inputs can misstate the deadline.
• Different claim category / special scenario (if the tool supports it) → different period. Your jurisdiction data indicates the general/default rule; if your case involves a special defendant or statute-specific scheme, the correct limitations period could differ.

Gentle disclaimer: This calculator is designed to quantify the deadline under the general/default rule. It does not replace a tailored limitations analysis for special defendants, unique procedural issues, or complex tolling circumstances.

Primary CTA: /tools/statute-of-limitations

Sources and references

Start with the primary authority for California and confirm the effective date before relying on any output. If the rule has been amended, update the inputs and rerun the calculation.

• Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335

Related reading

• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Vermont — How to choose the right calculator
• Statute of limitations in Singapore: how to estimate the deadline — Full how-to guide with jurisdiction-specific rules
• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Connecticut — How to choose the right calculator