A genuinely tiered structure for sexual offenses
Under CPRC § 16.0045, Texas carves out two distinct, far longer deadlines for personal injury claims arising from specific sexual offenses — both well beyond the general two-year rule. Thirty years applies where the injury arises from conduct violating a list of child-related offenses: sexual assault of a child, aggravated sexual assault of a child, continuous sexual abuse of a young child or disabled individual, certain trafficking conduct, compelling prostitution by a child or disabled individual, and indecency with a child. Five years applies to a separate list of adult offenses: sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, trafficking outside the child-specific provisions, and compelling prostitution.
A real, significant 2019 extension
Here's a genuinely important piece of legislative history. The 30-year figure for child sexual abuse claims wasn't always the law. A 2019 act, House Bill 3809, amended § 16.0045(a) to double this period from 15 years to 30 years — a real, deliberate extension giving survivors significantly more time to come forward and pursue a civil claim.
Why the two tiers genuinely matter
Because the applicable deadline depends on which specific offense the injury arose from, and on whether the victim was a child or an adult at the time, confirming exactly which tier applies to a particular set of facts is a genuinely important step — assuming the general two-year rule applies to a claim that actually qualifies for one of these far longer windows could mean giving up on a claim that remains entirely viable.
A distinct accrual rule for asbestos and silica claims
Separately, CPRC § 16.0031 provides a specific accrual rule for personal injury or death claims resulting from asbestos- or silica-related injury, tied to statutory definitions in Chapter 90 rather than simply the date of exposure or the date symptoms first appeared.
The ordinary discovery rule
Outside of these specific exceptions, Texas's discovery rule can delay when the two-year clock begins for many personal injury claims, starting it instead from the date the injury was discovered, or reasonably should have been discovered.