Health & Medical in Arizona

Arizona provides a two-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or reasonably should have discovered the malpractice, under A.R.S. § 12-542. For minors, the period may be tolled until age 18 under § 12-564. An affidavit of merit from a qualifying expert is generally required when filing.

Arizona courts have struck down statutory caps on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases as unconstitutional under the Arizona Constitution's access-to-courts provisions. This means pain and suffering awards in Arizona are not subject to a hard legislative cap, unlike many other states.

Arizona requires malpractice plaintiffs to obtain and disclose an expert affidavit from a qualifying health care professional who can attest that the defendant deviated from the applicable standard of care. Without this affidavit, the court may dismiss the case for failure to state a viable claim.

Complaints against MD physicians may be filed with the Arizona Medical Board (azmd.gov) online or by mail. Complaints against DO physicians go to the Arizona Osteopathic Examining Board. The Board investigates and may impose public reprimands, restrict practice, or revoke licensure. Filing a complaint does not pause the civil lawsuit limitation period.