R.I. Gen. Laws
Rhode Island General Laws

R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-14 (2026)

Limitation of actions for words spoken or personal injuries

✓ current as of July 2026
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(a) Actions for words spoken shall be commenced and sued within one year next after the words spoken, and not after.

(b) Actions for injuries to the person shall be commenced and sued within three (3) years next after the cause of action shall accrue, and not after, except as provided for otherwise in subsection (c) herein. Notwithstanding anything herein, any claim based on sexual abuse or exploitation of a child shall be governed by § 9-1-51.

(c) As to an action for personal injuries wherein an injured party is entitled to proceed against an insurer pursuant to § 27-7-2, where an action is otherwise properly filed against an insured within the time limitations provided for by this section, and process against the insured tortfeasor has been returned “non estinventus” and filed with the court, then the statutory limitation for filing an action under § 27-7-2 directly against an insurer shall be extended an additional one hundred twenty (120) days after the expiration of the time limitation provided for in subsection (b) herein.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 143 cases (24 in the last 5 years), 1961–2026 · leading case: Kelly v. Marcantonio, 678 A.2d 873 (R.I. 1996).
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Kelly v. Marcantonio, 678 A.2d 873 (R.I. 1996). · cites it 31× “[9] In 1971, the General Assembly increased the limitations period prescribed by G.L.1956 § 9-1-14 from two years to three years.”
Horn v. S. Union Co., 927 A.2d 292 (R.I. 2007). · cites it 26× “Section 9-1-14(a). [12] It should go without saying that we have very carefully weighed the First Circuit's thoughtful opinion in Rathbun v.”
Boudreau v. Automatic Temperature Controls, Inc., 212 A.3d 594 (R.I. 2019). · cites it 10× “]" We have defined "injuries to the person" under that statute as follows: "[T]he phrase 'injuries to the person' as used in [ § 9-1-14 ] is to be construed comprehensively and as contemplating its application to actions involving injuries that are other than physical.”
Anthony v. Abbott Labs., 490 A.2d 43 (R.I. 1985). · cites it 8× “The United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island has certified the following question of law concerning the statute of limitations applicable to personal-injury claims as contained in G.”
Church v. McBurney, 513 A.2d 22 (R.I. 1986). · cites it 11× “1956 (1985 Reenactment) § 9-24-27: 1 Which statute of limitations applies to an action for legal malpractice — § 9-1-14, which prescribes a three-year limitation upon actions for “injuries to the person,” or § 9-1-13, which, at the time this suit was filed, prescribed a six-year…”
Ryan v. Roman Catholic Bishop of Providence, 941 A.2d 174 (R.I. 2008). · cites it 4× “The applicable statute, G.L.1956 § 9-1-14(b), provides: "Actions for injuries to the person shall be commenced and sued within three (3) years next after the cause of action shall accrue, and not after.”
Fricker v. Town of Foster, 596 F. Supp. 1353 (D.R.I. 1984). · cites it 10× “shall be instituted within two (2) years of the accrual of any claim of tort,” and not thereafter) or R.I.Gen.Laws § 9-1-14 (“Actions for injuries to the person shall be commenced and sued within three (3) years next after the cause of action shall accrue,” and not thereafter)…”
Von Villas v. Williams, 366 A.2d 545 (R.I. 1976). · cites it 12× “1956 (1969 Reenactment) §9-1-14, as amended), since there was no disability in his case which would have postponed the statute’s running beyond two years after the collision.”
Pickering v. Am. Employers Ins., 282 A.2d 584 (R.I. 1971). · cites it 7× “Her insurer maintains that this action is one for personal injuries within the meaning of §9-1-14 and is barred by the two-year statute of limitations set forth in §9-1-14.”
Mills v. Toselli, 819 A.2d 202 (R.I. 2003). · cites it 6× “The defendant moved for and obtained summary judgment based upon the expiration of the one-year statutory limitations period provided in G.L.1956 § 9-1-14(a) for “[a]ctions for words spoken * * *.”
Martin v. Howard, 784 A.2d 291 (R.I. 2001). · cites it 3× “This discovery rule later was codified in G.L.1956 § 9-1-14(b). In Lee , the Court held that the discovery rule applied to improvements in real estate, “when the evidence of injury to property, resulting from the negligent act upon which the action is based, is sufficiently…”
Jean Ho-Rath v. Rhode Island Hosp., 115 A.3d 938 (R.I. 2015). · cites it 5× ““(d) Actions under this section shall be brought within the time limited under § 9-1-14 or 9-1-14.1, whichever is applicable, for actions for injuries to the person.”
Show all 143 citing cases →
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-14(a) — 8 cases
Mills v. Toselli, 819 A.2d 202 (R.I. 2003). “The defendant moved for and obtained summary judgment based upon the expiration of the one-year statutory limitations period provided in G.L.1956 § 9-1-14(a) for “[a]ctions for words spoken * * *.”
Horn v. S. Union Co., 927 A.2d 292 (R.I. 2007). “Section 9-1-14(a). [12] It should go without saying that we have very carefully weighed the First Circuit's thoughtful opinion in Rathbun v.”
Sola v. Leighton, 45 A.3d 502 (R.I. 2012).
Zell v. Ricci, 321 F. Supp. 3d 285 (D.R.I. 2018).
AAA Wholesalers Distrib., LLC v. Tropical Cheese Indus., Inc. (D.R.I. 2019).
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-14(b) — 51 cases
Kelly v. Marcantonio, 678 A.2d 873 (R.I. 1996). “[9] In 1971, the General Assembly increased the limitations period prescribed by G.L.1956 § 9-1-14 from two years to three years.”
Horn v. S. Union Co., 927 A.2d 292 (R.I. 2007). “Section 9-1-14(a). [12] It should go without saying that we have very carefully weighed the First Circuit's thoughtful opinion in Rathbun v.”
Boudreau v. Automatic Temperature Controls, Inc., 212 A.3d 594 (R.I. 2019). “]" We have defined "injuries to the person" under that statute as follows: "[T]he phrase 'injuries to the person' as used in [ § 9-1-14 ] is to be construed comprehensively and as contemplating its application to actions involving injuries that are other than physical.”
Ryan v. Roman Catholic Bishop of Providence, 941 A.2d 174 (R.I. 2008). “The applicable statute, G.L.1956 § 9-1-14(b), provides: "Actions for injuries to the person shall be commenced and sued within three (3) years next after the cause of action shall accrue, and not after.”
Martin v. Howard, 784 A.2d 291 (R.I. 2001). “This discovery rule later was codified in G.L.1956 § 9-1-14(b). In Lee , the Court held that the discovery rule applied to improvements in real estate, “when the evidence of injury to property, resulting from the negligent act upon which the action is based, is sufficiently…”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-14(c) — 1 case
Timothy Frazier v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co., alias, ABC Ins. Co. (R.I. 2020).
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