What is the Deadline for Suing an Iowa Corporation?

December 2, 2013. If you are thinking about suing an Iowa business, you need to know how long you have to file a lawsuit. Your claim will literally evaporate if you miss the applicable deadline. Why? Because Iowa, like all other states, has implemented various “statutes of limitations,” which are essentially deadlines for the filing of lawsuits.

Generally speaking, the deadline to file a lawsuit begins to run when the cause of action accrues, which is typically when the alleged injury occurs. However, the deadline might not begin to run until you knew or reasonably should have known that you had a claim. Here are some key statutes of limitations in Iowa:

• 2 years: general injury to person or reputation, professional malpractice, libel, slander, defamation, other intentional torts, civil rights claims
• 5 years: fraud, property damage, breach of oral contract, claim on promissory note, claim on open-ended credit account
• 10 years: breach of written contract (unless the contract specifies a different deadline)
• 15 years: product liability

If you are considering filing a lawsuit, consult a local attorney immediately. You can always wait to file your lawsuit, if time permits, but you should not wait to get an attorney’s advice regarding your claims and the applicable statutes of limitations.

This blog post provides general information only; various facts and circumstances can affect your timeline for filing a lawsuit. The information provided on this website should not be construed as legal advice and does not form an attorney-client relationship. Contact Goosmann Law Firm’s litigation team at info@goosmannlaw.com or by calling 712.226.4000, if you have any questions.