Rhode Island applies pure comparative negligence with a 3-year statute of limitations and no statutory non-economic cap.
Rhode Island operates pure comparative negligence with a three-year personal-injury limitation window. There is no statutory cap on non-economic damages.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-14
Pure comparative negligence — recovery available at any fault percentage.
The handful of details that distinguish this jurisdiction from its neighbours.
How Rhode Island compares to its sibling jurisdictions in United States on fault rule and limitation period.
| Jurisdiction | Fault rule | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | Pure comparative negligence | 3 years from date of injury |
| Alabama (AL) | Pure contributory negligence | 2 years from date of injury |
| Alaska (AK) | Pure comparative negligence | 2 years from date of injury or discovery |
| Arizona (AZ) | Pure comparative negligence | 2 years from date of injury |
| Arkansas (AR) | Modified comparative — 50% bar | 3 years for personal injury; 2 years for medical malpractice |
| California (CA) | Pure comparative negligence | 2 years for personal injury; 1 year for medical malpractice (with 3-year repose) |
| Colorado (CO) | Modified comparative — 50% bar | 2 years for personal injury; 3 years for motor vehicle |
| Connecticut (CT) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 2 years from date of injury |
| Delaware (DE) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 2 years from date of injury |
| District of Columbia (DC) | Pure contributory negligence | 3 years from date of injury |
| Florida (FL) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 2 years from date of injury (was 4; reduced by HB 837) |
| Georgia (GA) | Modified comparative — 50% bar | 2 years from date of injury |
| Hawaii (HI) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 2 years from date of injury |
| Idaho (ID) | Modified comparative — 50% bar | 2 years from date of injury |
| Illinois (IL) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 2 years from date of injury |
| Indiana (IN) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 2 years from date of injury |
| Iowa (IA) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 2 years from date of injury |
| Kansas (KS) | Modified comparative — 50% bar | 2 years from date of injury |
| Kentucky (KY) | Pure comparative negligence | 1 year for personal injury (one of the shortest in the US) |
| Louisiana (LA) | Pure comparative negligence | 1 year (la prescription) — extended to 2 years by Act 423 (2024) for tort claims accruing on or after July 1, 2024 |
| Maine (ME) | Modified comparative — 50% bar | 6 years for personal injury — longest in the US |
| Maryland (MD) | Pure contributory negligence | 3 years from date of injury |
| Massachusetts (MA) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 3 years from date of injury |
| Michigan (MI) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 3 years from date of injury |
| Minnesota (MN) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 6 years for personal injury (uncommonly long); 4 years for medical malpractice |
| Mississippi (MS) | Pure comparative negligence | 3 years from date of injury |
| Missouri (MO) | Pure comparative negligence | 5 years for personal injury; 2 years for medical malpractice |
| Montana (MT) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 3 years from date of injury |
| Nebraska (NE) | Modified comparative — 50% bar | 4 years for personal injury; 2 years for medical malpractice |
| Nevada (NV) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 2 years for personal injury; 3 years for medical malpractice |
| New Hampshire (NH) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 3 years from date of injury |
| New Jersey (NJ) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 2 years from date of injury |
| New Mexico (NM) | Pure comparative negligence | 3 years from date of injury |
| New York (NY) | Pure comparative negligence | 3 years for personal injury; 2 years 6 months for medical malpractice |
| North Carolina (NC) | Pure contributory negligence | 3 years from date of injury |
| North Dakota (ND) | Modified comparative — 50% bar | 6 years for personal injury; 2 years for medical malpractice |
| Ohio (OH) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 2 years from date of injury |
| Oklahoma (OK) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 2 years from date of injury |
| Oregon (OR) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 2 years from date of injury |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 2 years from date of injury |
| South Carolina (SC) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 3 years from date of injury |
| South Dakota (SD) | Pure comparative negligence | 3 years from date of injury |
| Tennessee (TN) | Modified comparative — 50% bar | 1 year from date of injury — among the shortest in the US |
| Texas (TX) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 2 years from date of injury |
| Utah (UT) | Modified comparative — 50% bar | 4 years for personal injury; 2 years for medical malpractice |
| Vermont (VT) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 3 years from date of injury |
| Virginia (VA) | Pure contributory negligence | 2 years from date of injury |
| Washington (WA) | Pure comparative negligence | 3 years from date of injury |
| West Virginia (WV) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 2 years from date of injury |
| Wisconsin (WI) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 3 years from date of injury |
| Wyoming (WY) | Modified comparative — 51% bar | 4 years from date of injury |
Common questions about personal injury claims in Rhode Island, answered with the relevant statutory references.
This page summarises the Rhode Island statutory framework as of 2026-05-09. It is not legal advice. Statutes change, published verdicts move, and the position within any band depends on facts the page can't see. For representation, consult an attorney qualified in Rhode Island. See /methodology, /sources, and /disclaimer.