Statute of Limitations for General Personal Injury / Negligence in Michigan

6 min read

Published April 8, 2026 • By DocketMath Team

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws change frequently — verify all citations with current official sources.

Overview

Michigan’s general statute of limitations for personal injury and negligence claims is 6 years under MCL § 767.24(1). This is the default period to use when no claim-type-specific rule applies.

For a reference-page view, that means the clock usually starts with the event that caused the injury or loss, and a filing after the deadline is commonly time-barred. DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator helps you test that date quickly so you can see whether the claim appears timely under Michigan’s general rule.

Note: The jurisdiction data here reflects the general/default period for Michigan. No claim-type-specific sub-rule was provided for this page, so the 6-year rule is the baseline to use unless a more specific statute applies.

Limitation period

Michigan’s general limitation period for personal injury / negligence is 6 years.

That 6-year period is the key number to enter into a deadline calculator when the claim does not fall under a separate, specific statutory rule. In practical terms, you usually need two inputs:

Accrual date: the date the injury, loss, or actionable event occurred
Filing target: the date you want to know whether a complaint would be timely

DocketMath then adds the 6-year period and shows the deadline. If the date you enter is after that deadline, the claim is likely outside the general limitations window.

How the output changes

Input scenario	Calculator result
Injury date + 6 years exactly	Deadline lands on the anniversary date 6 years later
Injury date + 6 years and 1 day	Result shows the claim is outside the general period
Earlier filing date	Result shows time remains before expiration
Later filing date	Result flags the filing as beyond the general deadline

Practical examples

An injury on March 1, 2020 generally maps to a deadline of March 1, 2026
A negligence event on October 15, 2019 generally maps to October 15, 2025
A claim filed on March 2, 2026 for a March 1, 2020 injury would generally be late under the 6-year rule

These examples assume the general rule applies and no exception changes the accrual or deadline calculation.

Key exceptions

Michigan’s general 6-year rule is the starting point, but several issues can change how a deadline is calculated. Because no claim-type-specific sub-rule was provided for this page, the safest reference approach is to treat these as possible modifiers rather than the baseline itself.

Common timing issues that can alter the deadline

Accrual date disputes: The limitations clock may turn on when the claim accrued, not simply when the harm was discovered.
Multiple defendants or related conduct: Separate events can create separate deadline calculations.
Minority or incapacity questions: Some claims may involve tolling or delayed timing rules.
Fraudulent concealment concerns: Concealment can affect whether a deadline is extended.
Special statutory schemes: Certain claims are governed by narrower rules than the general negligence period.

Checklist for using DocketMath correctly

Warning: A calculator result is only as good as the dates and rule you enter. If the wrong event date is used, the deadline can be off by years.

Why this matters in a reference page

A general limitation period is useful, but it is not always the last word. In Michigan, the most important question is whether the claim fits the general negligence/personal injury framework or a different statutory category. If it fits a different category, the general 6-year rule may not control.

Statute citation

The Michigan general statute cited for this rule is MCL § 767.24(1), with a 6-year general period.

Citation at a glance

Item	Michigan rule
Jurisdiction	Michigan
Code	US-MI
General limitation period	6 years
Statute	MCL § 767.24(1)
Source	Michigan government

How to read the citation

MCL means the Michigan Compiled Laws
§ 767.24(1) is the subdivision used for this general/default period
The citation is the reference point for the deadline, not a substitute for the underlying facts of the claim

In practice, the statute citation helps you confirm you are using the correct rule before calculating the filing deadline. For a reference page, that citation should be paired with the exact date inputs so the result is tied to the case timeline rather than a generic assumption.

Use the calculator

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations tool helps you calculate a Michigan deadline using the 6-year general rule. If you want a quick answer, start here: /tools/statute-of-limitations

What to enter

Use the calculator with:

Jurisdiction: Michigan
Claim date: the injury date, negligence date, or other event date
Limitation period: 6 years
Target filing date: the date you plan to file or want to test

What the calculator shows

The output tells you:

the projected deadline
whether the target date falls before or after expiration
how the result changes if you adjust the starting date

Best ways to use it

Enter the most accurate event date you have.
Compare the deadline to the intended filing date.
Re-run the calculation if a different accrual date might apply.
Use the result as a reference check before moving to the next step.

When the calculator is most useful

You have a known incident date and need a deadline fast
You are screening a new claim for timeliness
You want to confirm a filing window before preparing documents
You need a simple reference point for Michigan’s general 6-year period

The calculator is especially helpful when a deadline is close, because one day can matter. If the dates are uncertain, the output will change with each revised input, so it is worth testing the clearest date in the record first.