Arkansas

Statute of Limitations

Medical Claim Generally:

Medical injury shall be commenced within two years after the cause of action accrues. The date of the accrual of the cause of action shall be the date of the wrongful act complained of and no other time. However, where the action is based upon the discovery of a foreign object in the body of the injured person which is not discovered and could not reasonably have been discovered within such two-year period, the action may be commenced within one year from the date of discovery or the date the foreign object reasonably should have been discovered, whichever is earlier [AR Code § 16-114-203 (a-b) (2016)] However, if a health care provider conceals the negligence, the statute runs until the concealment ends [Howard v. Northwest Arkansas Surgical Clinic, P.A]

Minors:

If an individual is nine years of age or younger at the time of the act, omission, or failure complained of, the minor or person claiming on behalf of the minor shall have until the later of the minor’s eleventh birthday or two years from the act, omission, or failure in which to commence an action. However, if no medical injury is known and could not reasonably have been discovered prior to the minor’s eleventh birthday, then the minor or his or her representative shall have until two years after the medical injury is known or reasonably could have been discovered, or until the minor’s nineteenth birthday, whichever is earlier, in which to commence an action [AR Code § 16-114-203 (c) (2016)]

Wrongful death:

Arkansas statute of limitations for wrongful death claims does not apply to medical malpractice claims. Therefore, even in a wrongful death action, the statute of limitations is two years

Damage Caps

Attorney Fee  Caps

Pre-suit Requirements

Expert Qualifications

Negligent Credentialing Claims