Statute of Limitations for Premises Liability / Slip and Fall in Kentucky

Overview

In Kentucky, the statute of limitations (SOL) for a premises liability / slip-and-fall lawsuit is generally 5 years under KRS 500.020.

For slip and fall incidents, the SOL is often the difference between filing on time and losing the right to pursue the claim. Kentucky uses the general limitations framework in KRS 500.020 for many civil actions that don’t have a more specific deadline. In this guide, DocketMath focuses on that default rule so you can estimate the deadline and organize your next steps.

Limitation period

Kentucky’s general SOL period is 5 years.

Because no claim-type-specific sub-rule was identified for premises liability / slip and fall in the jurisdiction data you provided, you should treat KRS 500.020’s general/default 5-year period as the starting point for most situations.

How to estimate your deadline (the practical workflow)

Use the “incident date + 5 years” approach as a baseline:

1. Find the date of injury (for example, the day you slipped and were injured).
2. Count forward 5 years from that date.
3. Plan to file before the end date, not on it, because court processing and filing logistics can take time.

Example timing model:

Inputs that affect the output in DocketMath

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator typically needs a core date such as:

• Date of injury / accident (the key anchor date)

How changes affect the result:

• Move the incident date forward → the “latest filing” date moves forward
• Move the incident date backward → the deadline moves backward

If you later learn the case involves a special tolling or accrual situation, the baseline 5-year deadline may need to be adjusted. However, the default remains 5 years under KRS 500.020.

Key exceptions

Kentucky law includes limitations-related doctrines that can change when the clock starts running, pauses, or how long the SOL remains applicable.

1) Tolling and delayed accrual concepts

Two common ways SOL timelines can change are:

• Tolling: the limitations clock may pause for a period due to a legal reason
• Delayed accrual: the claim may be treated as accruing later than the injury date

Your facts determine whether these concepts apply (for instance, whether someone could not reasonably pursue the claim, or whether another legal event affects timing). DocketMath can provide a baseline deadline, but it may not fully capture nuanced tolling arguments.

2) Parties and special procedural timing

Even where KRS 500.020 provides a baseline SOL period, there can be additional timing rules tied to particular types of defendants or procedural requirements. If your situation involves a governmental or similarly situated party, it may be especially important to confirm whether any additional steps or deadlines apply.

3) Continuing harm vs. a one-time incident

Slip and fall cases may involve ongoing medical consequences after the initial slip. While symptoms can worsen over time, the SOL analysis often turns on when the claim accrues (which may or may not track every later symptom). If your case facts support a different accrual or timing theory, the “incident date + 5 years” estimate may change.

Statute citation

The general SOL period for many civil actions under Kentucky law is 5 years, set by:

• KRS 500.020 — General statute of limitations: 5 years

Because no premises-liability-specific sub-rule was found in the jurisdiction data you provided, KRS 500.020’s 5-year default is the rule applied here as the baseline for premises liability / slip and fall claims.

Use the calculator

Use DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations calculator to convert your dates into a deadline estimate.

Primary CTA: ** /tools/statute-of-limitations

What to enter

Make sure you have:

• ✅ Date of injury / accident (the date you slipped and were hurt)

What you’ll get back

DocketMath will calculate a baseline “latest filing date” using the 5-year period from KRS 500.020.

How the output changes when your inputs change

• Earlier injury date → earlier computed deadline
• Later injury date → later computed deadline

If you think a tolling or delayed-accrual situation may apply, treat the calculator output as a starting point, not a guarantee.

Sources and references

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

• Ky. Rev. Stat. § 413.140

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