§ 28-35-57. Limitation of claims for compensation. (a) An employee's claim for compensation under chapters 29 - 38 of this title shall be barred unless payment of weekly compensation has commenced, or a petition, as provided for in this chapter, has been filed within two (2) years after the occurrence or manifestation of the injury or incapacity, or in case of the death of the employee, or in the event of his or her physical or mental incapacity, within two (2) years after the death of the employee or the removal of the physical or mental incapacity.

(b) The time for filing shall not begin to run in cases of latent or undiscovered physical or mental impairment due to injury including disease until:

(1) The person claiming benefits knew, or by exercise of reasonable diligence should have known, of the existence of the impairment and its causal relationship to his or her employment; or

(2) After disablement, whichever is later.

(c) In any case in which weekly compensation benefits have been paid, pursuant to § 28-35-8, in which the employer or insurer has failed to file the required notices, the claimant's right to file a petition for compensation benefits shall be preserved without time limitation.

History of Section. (P.L. 1912, ch. 831, art. 3, § 18; G.L. 1923, ch. 92, art. 3, § 17; P.L. 1936, ch. 2290, § 14; P.L. 1936, ch. 2358, § 3; G.L. 1938, ch. 300, art. 3, § 17; G.L. 1938, ch. 300, art. 3, § 15; P.L. 1954, ch. 3297, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 28-35-57; P.L. 1960, ch. 94, § 1; P.L. 1978, ch. 232, § 2; P.L. 1982, ch. 32, art. 1, § 10; P.L. 1986, ch. 507, § 9; P.L. 1990, ch. 332, art. 1, § 5; P.L. 1992, ch. 31, § 13.)