Rhode Island General Laws
R.I. Gen. Laws § 45-15-9 (2026)
Notice of injury on highway or bridge — Commencement of action
✓ current as of July 2026
Find cases:
SyfertCases citing this section
RI-LEGwebserver.rilegislature.gov
JustiaTitle on Justia
CornellLII Search
CasesGoogle Scholar
(a) A person so injured or damaged shall, within sixty (60) days, give to the town by law obliged to keep the highway, causeway, or bridge in repair, notice of the time, place, and cause of the injury or damage; and if the town does not make just and due satisfaction, within the time prescribed by § 45-15-5, the person shall, within three (3) years after the date of the injury or damage, commence his or her action against the town treasurer for the recovery of damages, and not thereafter.
(b) The provisions of this section shall take effect May 21, 1982, and be given retroactive effect, as well as prospective effect, and shall apply to all causes of actions arising within three (3) years prior to September 1, 1982.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 30
cases, 1964–2018 · leading case: Alfano v. Landers, 585 A.2d 651 (R.I. 1991).
Alfano v. Landers, 585 A.2d 651 (R.I. 1991). “At the summary judgment hearing, Lan-ders argued that Alfano was not injured on a sidewalk and therefore was not required to notify the city pursuant to § 45-15-9. Alfano argued that the divider was a public sidewalk within the ambit of § 45-15-9.”
Prout v. City of Providence, 996 A.2d 1139 (R.I. 2010). “The trial justice found that Prout’s notice of claim failed to comply with the requirements of G.L.1956 § 45-15-9, which states in relevant part: “(a) A person so injured or damaged shall, within sixty (60) days, give to the town by law obliged to keep the highway, causeway, or…”
McNulty v. City of Providence, 994 A.2d 1221 (R.I. 2010). “” 2 It is undisputed that neither the letter nor the enclosed petition form indicate that, pursuant to G.L. 1956 § 45-15-9 and § 45-15-10, a person alleging injury (in circumstances such as plaintiffs) must give the city written notice within sixty days of the alleged injury as…”
Moseley v. Fitzgerald, 773 A.2d 254 (R.I. 2001). “The city argued that in any claim for an injury occurring on a sidewalk adjacent to a public highway, a plaintiff is required, within sixty days of his or her injury, to provide notice of the defect to the city pursuant to G.L.1956 § 45-15-9; and, in this case it is undisputed…”
Provost v. Finlay, 768 A.2d 1256 (R.I. 2001). “It contended that plaintiff had failed to comply with the sixty-day notice requirement of § 45-15-9 because she had failed to provide notice of her claim to the town until approximately four months after her accident.”
LaHaye v. City of Providence, 640 A.2d 978 (R.I. 1994). “1956 (1991 Reenactment) § 45-15-9. 1 After reviewing the memoranda submitted by the parties and after hearing their counsel in oral argument, this court concludes that cause has not been shown.”
McCarthy v. Johnson, 574 A.2d 1229 (R.I. 1990). “2d 277 (1970), we held that compliance with the notice requirement contained in G.L.1956 § 45-15-9 is a condition precedent to the bringing of an action to recover for injuries sustained by reason of a defect in the highway.”
Barroso v. Pepin, 261 A.2d 277 (R.I. 1970). “In the course of the hearing on defendant’s motion, plaintiff conceded that she had neglected to provide defendant city with notice of the injuries within 60 days after the occurrence thereof as is provided in §45-15-9. The justice hearing the motion held that in order to…”
Bennett v. Napolitano, 746 A.2d 138 (R.I. 2000). “Because the issue was not raised, we assume, without deciding, that the letter sent by plaintiff's counsel “[i]n accordance with Rhode Island General Laws § 45-15-5” provided notice to the city under G.L.1956 § 45-15-9, which mandates that a plaintiff injured on a highway give…”
Tessier v. Ann & Hope Factory Outlet, Inc., 332 A.2d 781 (R.I. 1975). “1956 (1970 Reenactment) §45-15-9, which requires a person, before he can commence an action under §45-15-8 for injuries sustained “by reason of defect, want of repair * * * in or upon a public highway,” to give notice to the town, within 60 days, of the time, place, and cause of…”
Mercado v. City of Providence, 770 A.2d 445 (R.I. 2001). “In its answer the city denied the claim of negligence and raised as an affirmative defense plaintiffs failure to provide proper notice as required by § 45-15-9. 2 On February 2, 1999 the city filed a motion for summary judgment, asserting that plaintiff delayed filing his claim…”
Morales v. Napolitano, 713 A.2d 193 (R.I. 1998). “1956 (1991 Reenactment) §§ 45-15-9 and 45-15-10. After consideration of the prebriefing materials, this ease was assigned to the full court for a session in conference in accordance with Rule 12A(3)(b) of the Supreme Court Rules of Appellate Procedure.”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 45-15-9(a) — 9 cases
Alfano v. Landers, 585 A.2d 651 (R.I. 1991). “At the summary judgment hearing, Lan-ders argued that Alfano was not injured on a sidewalk and therefore was not required to notify the city pursuant to § 45-15-9. Alfano argued that the divider was a public sidewalk within the ambit of § 45-15-9.”
O'Gara v. Ferrante, 690 A.2d 1354 (R.I. 1997).
Marshall v. City of Providence, 633 A.2d 1360 (R.I. 1993).
Provost v. Finlay, 768 A.2d 1256 (R.I. 2001). “It contended that plaintiff had failed to comply with the sixty-day notice requirement of § 45-15-9 because she had failed to provide notice of her claim to the town until approximately four months after her accident.”
LaHaye v. City of Providence, 640 A.2d 978 (R.I. 1994). “1956 (1991 Reenactment) § 45-15-9. 1 After reviewing the memoranda submitted by the parties and after hearing their counsel in oral argument, this court concludes that cause has not been shown.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.