Statute of Limitations in Maryland
State-specific overview · Contract Law
Maryland uses three years for most personal injury claims and five years for written contracts, with medical malpractice capped at five years from injury.
How Maryland treats Statute of Limitations
Maryland sets a three-year deadline for personal injury, negligence, and most tort claims under Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101. Written contracts allow five years, while oral contracts have three years. Medical malpractice claims must be filed within five years of the injury or discovery, whichever is earlier, creating a hard cap that prevents delayed discovery claims.
The general definition of Statute of Limitations
A law setting the maximum time period within which a lawsuit can be filed after an injury or breach occurs.
Every type of legal claim has a deadline. Once that deadline passes, you lose the right to sue, even if you have a valid claim. The statute of limitations varies depending on the type of case—contract disputes might have a different deadline than personal injury claims, for example. These time limits exist to protect defendants from being sued years or decades after an event, when evidence may be lost and memories fade. Once the deadline expires, the claim is essentially dead, and courts will dismiss any lawsuit filed after that point.
Read the full Statute of Limitations entry →This page is a plain-English reference and is not legal advice. State laws change frequently. For specific situations consult a licensed attorney in Maryland.