Do I need a lawyer after a car accident in Arkansas?
Every rule below is quoted from Arkansas law or a state agency, with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.
The short answer
We can't tell you whether you need a lawyer. We can show you the Arkansas rules that usually decide it: how fault is split, how long you have, and how injury lawyers are allowed to charge. Many people with only car damage settle directly with the insurer. People with injuries, disputed fault or a claim near a deadline often talk to a lawyer first.
How fault changes your claim
If you were partly at fault
Arkansas uses modified comparative fault with a 50 percent bar. If your share of fault is equal to or greater than the other driver's, you cannot recover any damages.
“If the fault chargeable to a party claiming damages is equal to or greater in degree than any fault chargeable to the party or parties from whom the claiming party seeks to recover damages, then the claiming party is not entitled to recover such damages.”
How long you have
- 3 years
- to sue for injuriesArk. Code Ann. 16-56-105(3)
- 3 years
- to sue for car or property damageArk. Code Ann. 16-56-105(6)
- 3 years
- for a family to sue after a deathArk. Code Ann. 16-62-102
Deadline to sue for injuries
You generally have 3 years from the crash to sue for injuries.
“All actions founded on any contract or liability, expressed or implied... shall be commenced within three (3) years after the cause of action accrues”
If a government vehicle or road was involved
If a state government vehicle or state road is involved, your claim goes to the Arkansas State Claims Commission, and it must be filed within the same time limit that would apply to a normal lawsuit for that type of claim, not a separate short notice period.
“The Arkansas State Claims Commission shall not consider or allow a claim or action unless the claim or action has been filed with the Director of the Arkansas State Claims Commission as provided by this subchapter within the period allowed by law for the commencement of an action for the same type of claim or action.”
How injury lawyers charge in Arkansas
Contingency fee rules
Arkansas has no dollar or percentage cap on personal injury contingency fees. The fee just has to be reasonable, and the contingency fee agreement itself must be in writing.
“A fee may be contingent on the outcome of the matter for which the service is rendered, except in a matter in which a contingent fee is prohibited by paragraph (d) or other law. A contingent fee agreement shall be in writing and shall state the method by which the fee is to be determined”
Questions to ask any lawyer before you sign
- What percentage do you charge, and does it change if the case goes to trial?
- Who pays case costs like records and expert fees if we lose?
- Will you handle my case yourself, or pass it to someone else?
- How long do cases like mine usually take here?
- What is the deadline for my claim, and when will you file?
If the insurer is the problem
File a complaint with the state
To complain about an insurance company or agent in Arkansas, file online with the Arkansas Insurance Department's Consumer Services Division, or send it by mail, email, or fax.
“Complaints about insurance providers, including agents and companies, can be submitted using our Online Complaint form”
Sources on this page
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
Know My Claim is not a law firm or a government agency, and this page is not legal advice. Laws change, so check the linked source before you rely on a deadline.