Statute of Limitations: Stevens Johnson Syndrome Lawsuits

Stevens Johnsons Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis is a severe allergic skin reaction caused by the use of various prescription and over the counter medications. Victims of SJS caused by the use of drugs that do not have proper warning signs regarding the known dangers of allergic reactions are entitled to compensation for their injuries via the filing of a product liability lawsuit against manufacturers and distributors. However claims must be filed within a specific time limit set by the jurisdiction where the case will be tried. Failure to file a claim within the statutorily limited time period can eliminate a victims legal right to recovery under the law.

Statute of Limitations 

The statute of limitations for filing a product liability claim is based on the jurisdiction where the injury took place. For example, in California an individual has a two-year time period to file a personal injury claim in civil court, while residents of Maine have a six-year deadline to file a lawsuit. A list of statute of limitations for all jurisdiction in the United States is provided below.

Exceptions to Filing Deadline 

In certain instances, court may grant a temporary halting or tolling of a statute thus allowing for a case to be filed even when the filing deadline has passed. Specific instances where courts have granted a tolling of a statute are as follows

• Physical incapacitation of the victim.
• Mental incapacitation of the victim.
• The injury did not manifest itself until sometime after the taking of the drug.
• The victim did not know the injury was caused by the use of the medication until a later time.
• Injured individual was under the age of 18 – for example in California a minor has two years from the date of his/her 18th birthday to file a claim.

Statute of Limitations for All Jurisdiction in the United States

Alabama Alabama Statute of Limitations Ala. Code § 6-2-2 et seq. Product liability Case: 2 Years
Alaska Alaska Statute of Limitations Alaska Stat. § 09.10.010 et seq. Product liability Case: 2 Years
Arizona Arizona Statute of Limitations Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 12-541 et seq. Product liability Case: 2 Years
Arkansas Arkansas Statute of Limitations Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-101 et seq. Product liability Case: 3 Years
California California Statute of Limitations Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 312 et seq. Product liability Case: 2 Years
Colorado Colorado Statute of Limitations can be found at Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-102 et seq. Product liability Case: 2 Years
Connecticut Connecticut Statute of Limitations Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 52-575 et seq. Product liability Case: 2 Years
Washington D.C. District of Columbia Statute of Limitations D.C. Code § 12-301 et seq. Product liability 3 Years
Florida Florida Statute of Limitations Fla. Stat. Ann. § 95.011 et seq. Product liability 4 Years
Georgia Georgia Statute of Limitations Ga. Code Ann. § 9-3-20 et seq. Product liability Case: 2 Years
Hawaii Hawaii Statute of Limitations Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-1 et seq. Product liability 2 Years
with discovery rule
Idaho Idaho Statute of Limitations Idaho Code § 5-201 et seq. Product liability 2 Years
Illinois Illinois Statute of Limitations 735 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/13-201 et seq. Product liability 2 Years
Indiana Indiana Statute of Limitations Ind. Code Ann. § 34-11-2-1 et seq. Defective Product 2 Years
Iowa Iowa Statute of Limitations Iowa Code Ann. § 614.1 et seq. Product liability 2 Years
Kansas Kansas Statute of Limitations Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-501 et seq. Product liability 2 Years
Kentucky Kentucky Statute of Limitations Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 413.080 et seq. Product liability 1 Years
with discovery rule
Louisiana Louisiana Statute of Limitations La. Civil Code § 3492 et seq. Product Defect 1 Years
Maine Maine Statute of Limitations Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 14, § 751 et seq. Product liability 6 Years
Maryland Maryland Statute of Limitations Md. Courts & Jud. Proc. Code Ann. § 5-101 et seq. Product liability 3 Years
Massachusetts Massachusetts Statute of Limitations Mass. Ann. Laws ch. 260, § 1 et seq. Defective Product Lawsuit must be filed within 3 Years
Michigan Michigan Statute of Limitations Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5801 et seq. Product liability 3 Years
Minnesota Minnesota Statute of Limitations Minn. Stat. Ann. § 541.01 et seq. Product liability 4 Years
Mississippi Mississippi Statute of Limitations Miss. Code. Ann. § 15-1-1 et seq. Product liability 2 Years
Missouri Missouri Statute of Limitations Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.097 et seq. Product liability 5 Years
Montana Montana Statute of Limitations Mont. Code Ann. § 27-2-2021 et seq. Product liability 3 Years
Nebraska Nebraska Statute of Limitations Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-201 et seq. Product liability 2 Years
Nevada Nevada Statute of Limitations Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 11.010 et seq. Product liability 4 Years
New Hampshire New Hampshire Statute of Limitations N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:1 et seq. Product liability 3 Year
New Jersey New Jersey Statute of Limitations N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2a:14-1 et seq. Product liability 2 Years
New Mexico New Mexico Statute of Limitations N.M. Stat. Ann. § 37-1-1 et seq. Product liability 3 Years
New York New York Statute of Limitations N.Y. Civ. Prac. Laws & Rules § 201 et seq. Product liability 3 Years
North Carolina North Carolina Statute of Limitations N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-46 et seq. Product liability 6 Years
North Dakota North Dakota Statute of Limitations N.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-01 et seq. Product Liability claim must be filed within 10 Years Ohio Ohio Statute of Limitations Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2305.03 et Product liability 2 Years
Oklahoma Ohio Statute of Limitations Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2305.03 et Product liability 2 Years
Oregon Ohio Statute of Limitations Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2305.03 et Product liability 2 Years
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Statute of Limitations 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 5501 et seq. Product liability 2 Years
Rhode Island Rhode Island Statute of Limitations R. I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-12 et seq. Product liability 3 Years
South Carolina South Carolina Statute of Limitations S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-510 et seq. Product liability 3 Years
South Dakota South Dakota Statute of Limitations S.D. Codified Laws Ann. § 15-2-1 et seq. Product liability 3 Years
Tennessee Tennessee Statute of Limitations Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-101 et seq. Product liability 1 Years
with discovery rule
Texas Texas Statute of Limitations Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.001 et seq. Product liability 2 Years
Utah Utah Statute of Limitations Utah Code Ann. § 78-12-22 et seq. Product liability claim bust be filed within 2 Years
Vermont Vermont Statute of Limitations Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 12, § 461 et seq. Product liability 3 Years
Virginia Virginia Statute of Limitations Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-228 et seq. Product liability 2 Years
Washington Washington Statute of Limitations Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 4.16.005 et seq. Product liability 3 Years
West Virginia West Virginia Statute of Limitations W. Va. Code § 55-2-1 et seq. Product liability 2 Years
Wisconsin Wisconsin Statute of Limitations Wis. Stat. Ann. § 893.01 et seq. Defective Product Claim must be filed within 3 Years
Wyoming Wyoming Statute of Limitations Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-102 et seq. Product liability 4 Year