Pennsylvania source notes · reviewed September 24, 2026

Pennsylvania personal injury laws

Pennsylvania’s general personal-injury timing rule appears in 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524, while § 7102 supplies the comparative-negligence framework. The statutory labels are starting points; accrual, discovery, defendant identity, and claim type still control the actual analysis.

General timing starting pointTwo years for listed personal-injury actions under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524

Fault-rule starting pointRecovery allowed when plaintiff negligence is not greater than defendants’ causal negligence

Read every relevant paragraph of § 5524

Section 5524 places several actions in a two-year category, including damages for injury to a person or death caused by another’s wrongful act, neglect, unlawful violence, or negligence. The section also contains other tort categories and special exposure language.

Pennsylvania uses a not-greater-than comparison

Section 7102 says plaintiff negligence does not bar recovery when it is not greater than the causal negligence of the defendant or defendants against whom recovery is sought. Allowed damages are reduced in proportion to plaintiff negligence.

Government units have additional statutory rules

Claims involving Commonwealth or local agencies require separate review of immunity, exceptions, notice, and damages provisions. Record the precise agency, property, employee, vehicle, and report information at the outset.

Primary and official sources

Read the current text

These links are part of the page, not footnote decoration. Open the source and review surrounding sections before relying on a summary.

State-law questions

Questions this summary raises

Is two years the deadline for every Pennsylvania injury matter?

No. Section 5524 covers listed actions. Accrual, discovery, tolling, defendant type, and specialized statutes can change the analysis.

What happens if a plaintiff is 50% negligent?

Section 7102 uses “not greater than” the defendants’ causal negligence. Any permitted recovery is still reduced by the plaintiff’s percentage, and the section’s scope must be checked.

Does a firm address establish the proper Pennsylvania county?

No. Venue, jurisdiction, service area, and the place of filing are separate questions for qualified counsel.

Reviewed September 24, 2026. General legal information only. The correct filing period and fault rule depend on the claim, parties, dates, facts, and current law.

Read every relevant paragraph of § 5524

Pennsylvania uses a not-greater-than comparison

Government units have additional statutory rules

Read the current text

Questions this summary raises

A clearer path to accurate injury-law information.