A statute of limitations is the period of time prescribed in which an injured person must file a claim or settle his or her case or the claim will be forever barred. The various statutes of limitations run from the date of injury or death of the seaman in most cases. This article lists the most common limitation periods beginning with the shortest at the top. This article deals solely with the statutes of limitations in various maritime actions. Its purpose is to alert the attorney or injured seaman who may have a potential maritime case to the differences between state law and the general maritime law and the need for consultation with an attorney who handles maritime actions as a part of his or her regular practice.