European UnionI'm a minor who was injured. Do I have extended time limits for my claim?
Yes, minors in the EU generally have extended time limits for personal injury claims, but the exact rules depend on national law — most member states suspend or extend limitation periods until the minor reaches majority (usually age 18).
What the Law Says
The European Union does not harmonise civil limitation periods for personal injury claims. Instead, each Member State sets its own rules under national law. Many EU countries apply a suspension (tolling) of the limitation period while the injured person is a minor.
Under most national laws — such as in Germany (Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch § 206), France (Code de procédure civile Art. L. 110-4), and the Netherlands (Burgerlijk Wetboek Art. 3:310) — the statutory limitation period for personal injury claims is suspended until the minor reaches the age of majority (typically 18).
This means the clock stops running on the deadline while the claimant is under 18, and only starts (or resumes) once they turn 18 — giving them full time (e.g., 3 years) from that date to file a claim.
No EU-wide statute governs this directly; Regulation (EC) No 864/2007 (Rome II) determines which national law applies to non-contractual obligations (like injury claims), but it explicitly excludes rules on limitation periods (Art. 15(l)).
Sources
Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.