Hawaii Revised Statutes

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 386-82 (2026)

  Claim for compensation; limitation of time

✓ current as of July 2026
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     §386-82  Claim for compensation; limitation of time.  The right to compensation under this chapter shall be barred unless a written claim therefor is made to the director of labor and industrial relations[:]

     (1)  Within two years after the date at which the effects of the injury for which the employee is entitled to compensation have become manifest; and

     (2)  Within five years after the date of the accident or occurrence which caused the injury.

     The foregoing limitations of time shall not apply to a claim for injury caused by compressed air or due to occupational exposure to, or contact with, arsenic, asbestos, benzol, beryllium, zirconium, cadmium, chrome, lead, fluorine, or other mineral or substance with carcinogenic properties, as incorporated in the Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Standards, or to exposure to X-rays, radium, ionizing radiation, or radioactive substances, but such claim shall be barred unless it is made to the director, in writing, within two years after knowledge that the injury was proximately caused by, or resulted from the nature of, the employment.  The claim may be made by the injured employee or the employee's dependents or by some other person on the employee's or their behalf.  The claim shall state in ordinary language the time, place, nature, and cause of the injury. [L 1963, c 116, pt of §1; Supp, §97-91; HRS §386-82; am L 1979, c 114, §1; gen ch 1985]

 

Revision Note

 

     In the first paragraph, (1) and (2) reformatted as paragraphs (1) and (2), and in paragraph (1), punctuation changed pursuant to §23G-15.

 

Case Notes

 

  Statute of limitations for asserting claim starts from discovery of injury or illness.  50 H. 1, 427 P.2d 845 (1967).

  Condition which causes no loss of function and having no treatment should not be considered an injury.  71 H. 269, 788 P.2d 170 (1990).

  No lawful claim for workers’ compensation benefits were filed with the director where employer’s filing of "WC-1" form did not constitute a claim for workers’ compensation benefits on employee’s behalf and no evidence that employer had been "duly empowered to act" on injured employee’s behalf.  89 H. 411, 974 P.2d 51 (1999).

  Under this section, the two-year statute of limitations for the filing of a workers' compensation claim begins to run when the claimant, as a reasonable person, should recognize the nature, seriousness, and probable compensable character of claimant's injury or disease.  93 H. 8, 994 P.2d 1054 (2000).

  In order to identify the "date of injury" required by the department of labor and industrial relations in connection with the filing of a workers' compensation claim under this section, a claimant in a case arising under the "injury-by-disease" prong of §386-3 may rely upon the last day of employment as the "date of disability", but this "date of disability" may also be the date of diagnosis of the disabling condition.  94 H. 70, 9 P.3d 382 (2000).

  Tolling of limitation period.  2 H. App. 136, 627 P.2d 288 (1981).

  The two-year limitation period begins at a point where the employee's injury has had a disabling effect that prevents employee from working.  2 H. App. 157, 628 P.2d 205 (1981).

  Cited:  24 H. 97, 101 (1917); 24 H. 731, 738 (1919).

 

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 16 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1972–2025 · leading case: Flor v. Holguin, 9 P.3d 382 (Haw. 2000).
Flor v. Holguin, 9 P.3d 382 (Haw. 2000). · cites it 8× “The “Date of Injury” In Occupational Disease Claims Under The Workers’ Compensation Law HRS § 386-82 (1993) 6 establishes the time within which a claimant must file a claim under the Workers’ Compensation Law.”
Potter v. Hawaii Newspaper Agency, 974 P.2d 51 (Haw. 1999). · cites it 6× “928 (1933), this court construed the statute to mean that claims made on behalf of a minor must be made by “a ‘guardian’ or ‘next friend’ duly empowered to act for the minor.”
Hayashi v. Scott Co., 994 P.2d 1054 (Haw. 2000). · cites it 20× “1 Specifically, the question is whether, as Scott and Argonaut argue, appellee Kenneth Hayashi’s (Hayashi) workers’ compensation claim is barred by the two-year statute of limitations as set forth in HRS § 386-82. For the following reasons, we affirm both the LIRAB’s decision…”
Tomita v. Hotel Serv. Ctr., 628 P.2d 205 (Haw. App. 1981). · cites it 10× “The employer and insurance carrier have, in this appeal, raised one issue, and that is whether the appellee’s claim for workman’s compensation benefits was barred by the time limitation provision of HRS § 386-82. We hold that it was not. The relevant facts are as follows: The…”
Asato v. Meadow Gold Dairies-Hawaii, 706 P.2d 13 (Haw. 1985). · cites it 12× “The Appeals Board held that claimants-appellants Asato’s and Nobuji’s claims were barred by the two-year statute of limitations, and that claimant-appellant Yama-moto’s claim was barred by the five-year statute of limitations under HRS § 386-82. *113 A. Claimant-appellant Asato…”
Yamada v. Royal Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Co., 704 P.2d 914 (Haw. App. 1985). · cites it 9× “On May 23, 1978, the Director issued his decision concluding that (1) Yamada’s claim for compensation for the 12-day period in July 1973 was barred under HRS § 386-82, 2 (2) Appellees were liable for all of Yamada’s medical expenses and compensation for temporary total…”
Miyake v. Welders, Inc., 788 P.2d 170 (Haw. 1990). · cites it 5× “The relevant statute, HRS § 386-82, reads: Claim for compensation; limitation of time.”
Kalapodes v. E. E. Black, Ltd., 669 P.2d 635 (Haw. 1983). · cites it 2× “An employer who makes voluntary compensation payments to an employee waives the written claim requirement of HRS § 386-82(a). HRS § 386-83(a). Nothing in its joinder rules prevents the Appeals Board from joining as an additional party to a permanent disability hearing an…”
Demond v. Univ. of Hawaii, 503 P.2d 434 (Haw. 1972). “HRS § 386-83 (b) sets forth circumstances in which an employer may be deemed to have waived the limitation period: (b) Unless the employer is prejudiced thereby, failure to make a claim within the time prescribed in section 386-82 shall not bar a claim to compensation if…”
Chung v. Food Pantry, Ltd., 627 P.2d 288 (Haw. App. 1981). · cites it 4× “” However, Employer has failed to show that it incurred prejudice as a result of the delay.”
Webb v. OSF Int'l, Inc. ICA s.d.o., filed 03/13/2024 [ada], 154 Haw. 85. Application for Writ of Certiorari, filed 05/01/2024. S.Ct. Order Accepting Application for Writ of Certiorari, filed 06/12/2024 [ada]. (Haw. 2025). · cites it 8× “3 3 The LIRAB majority also concluded Webb’s 2017 claims related to his right wrist and right leg/knee were barred by HRS § 386-82 (2015). The LIRAB majority found these were additional injuries that were not part of the April 1, 1999 work injury, such that 2-year and 5-year…”
Alkire-Clemen v. Castle Med. Ctr., 222 P.3d 466 (Haw. App. 2010). · cites it 12× “28765 is whether the LIRAB erred in concluding that the workers' compensation claim filed by Claimant on August 22, 2002, for injuries arising out of the February 20, 1999, work incident was not barred by the statute of limitations set forth in HRS §§ 386-82. The LIRAB concluded…”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 386-82(a) — 1 case
Kalapodes v. E. E. Black, Ltd., 669 P.2d 635 (Haw. 1983). “An employer who makes voluntary compensation payments to an employee waives the written claim requirement of HRS § 386-82(a). HRS § 386-83(a). Nothing in its joinder rules prevents the Appeals Board from joining as an additional party to a permanent disability hearing an…”
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