Statutes of limitations are the window of time you have in which to file a claim for damages after an accident. Each state sets its own statutes, ranging from one year to more than ten years. Most states have two or three-year statutes. These statutes are meant to protect those who the claim would be filed against, as well as to preserve the integrity of a claim. As time passes, evidence can degrade or disappear, and witnesses can move, die, or their memories of the incident may fade.