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

Overview

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

In Oregon, most slip-and-fall or premises-liability (“premises liability”) claims must generally be filed within 2 years. That baseline rule is commonly analyzed under ORS 12.110(1).

Practically, the 2-year clock usually starts on the date of injury—for example, the day you fall on someone else’s property and sustain bodily injury.

For DocketMath users, the key takeaway is straightforward: if the incident happened more than 2 years ago, the main limitations period for a typical premises liability/personal injury claim may already have expired—though exceptions and special categories can affect the deadline.

Limitation period

2 years from the injury date is the baseline Oregon limitations period for many premises liability / slip-and-fall personal injury claims. In many situations, Oregon courts treat this as an “action for injury to the person,” applying ORS 12.110(1).

Here’s the timing framework that usually matters most:

• Start date (most common): the calendar date you were injured (the day of the fall and resulting bodily injury).
• Deadline (baseline): the same calendar date 2 years later, assuming no exception, tolling, or different timing rule applies.
• Filing method matters: the claim generally must be filed with the court within the limitations period (not merely drafted, prepared, or mailed). If you’re near the deadline, build in time for court filing logistics.

What changes the result?

Even where the baseline appears to be “2 years,” the outcome can change based on timing and procedural factors, such as:

1. Accrual/timing issues — questions about when the claim is considered to have accrued under Oregon law.
2. Tolling or special defendant categories — situations where statutes pause, extend, or otherwise modify the limitations period.

In premises liability cases, people often wonder whether delayed diagnoses (for example, fractures discovered later, worsening symptoms, or nerve-related symptoms) can shift the deadline. Oregon’s analysis depends on the governing accrual/tolling framework for the claim and the specific facts.

Key exceptions

Certain exceptions and special categories can materially affect the deadline—especially when the typical “2 years from the date of injury” framing doesn’t fit.

1) Minor plaintiffs (child injury cases)

If the injured person is a minor, Oregon generally provides rules that can extend the time to sue beyond the standard adult 2-year period. The specific operation of those rules can depend on the statute and timing details.

2) Claims involving government entities (public bodies)

If the defendant is a state, county, city, or other qualifying government entity, Oregon law may impose different procedural requirements and deadlines (often including notice requirements) that can operate alongside, or in some cases differently from, the baseline limitations period.

3) Wrong-party discovery and notice-driven doctrines

Sometimes the injured person initially sues the wrong entity (for example, a landlord vs. a contractor vs. a facility operator). Whether an amendment can correct the party and relate back can be fact- and procedure-dependent.

4) Discovery-related accrual issues

Even within Oregon’s general framework, when the claim accrues can matter—particularly when symptoms develop later or medical treatment reveals the nature or seriousness of the injury.

That said, Oregon does not apply a one-size-fits-all “discovery rule” for every situation. Whether later discovery extends the deadline depends on how Oregon law treats accrual for that kind of claim and the circumstances involved.

Statute citation

The baseline Oregon statute frequently used for personal injury limitations timing is:

• ORS 12.110(1) — 2 years for actions “for injury to the person.”

For many slip-and-fall/premises liability cases, that is the starting point for the limitations analysis unless a different statute applies (such as a different category for certain defendants like public bodies) or an exception/tolling provision modifies the timeline.

Use the calculator

Use DocketMath’s Statute of Limitations calculator to generate a practical “latest filing date” based on Oregon’s baseline periods.

Open the tool here: /tools/statute-of-limitations

Then select:

• Jurisdiction: **US-OR (Oregon)
• Claim type: premises liability / slip and fall (or the closest available “personal injury” category)
• Injury date: the date you were hurt (commonly the day of the fall and bodily injury)

How inputs affect the output

From DocketMath’s workflow, these inputs typically change the resulting deadline:

Example: the baseline 2-year rule in action

If you were injured on March 15, 2024, the baseline Oregon personal-injury limitations deadline under ORS 12.110(1) would generally be March 15, 2026—subject to any applicable exception, tolling, or different procedural rule.

Time-saving workflow tips

• Use the injury date as the tool input if that best matches when bodily injury occurred from the fall.
• If you’re unsure whether a category applies (minor plaintiff, public entity, etc.), you can still use the calculator to produce baseline dates, then refine your analysis for exceptions.

Sources and references

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

• Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.010

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