Opinion ID: 445232
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: negligence claims under state law

Text: 51 We also conclude, for much the same reasons, that Marrapese's state law negligence claims are time barred. The same three-year statute of limitations is applicable. 52 Marrapese's cause of action arose on March 16, 1975, when benzidine was applied to his skin. This injury, which is the basis of his action, should not be confused with the damages claimed to result from it. In the absence of demonstrable physical harm, Marrapese seeks recompense for his emotional distress once he belatedly learned of the risks associated with the application of benzidine. But he is not seeking recovery on a theory of negligent infliction of emotional distress, where his injury would constitute the emotional distress that first arose upon learning of the dangers of benzidine. Here the tort occurred on the day of the benzidine test. 53 The general rule in Rhode Island is that a negligence cause of action for personal injury accrues at the time of injury. See Byron v. Great American Indemnity Co., 54 R.I. 405, 407, 173 A. 546, 547 (1934); cf. Romano v. Westinghouse Electric Co., 114 R.I. 451, 459, 336 A.2d 555, 559 (1975); Wilkinson v. Harrington, 104 R.I. 224, 243 A.2d 745 (1968). Exceptions to the rule have been created in cases where a product may have a latent, undiscoverable defect, see Romano, 114 R.I. 451, 336 A.2d 555, where medical malpractice resulted in an injury that was not discoverable or discovered within the limitations period, see Wilkinson, 104 R.I. 224, 243 A.2d 745, and where a possible cause of action remains undiscovered due to fraud or concealment, see Reynolds v. Hennessy, 17 R.I. 169, 20 A. 307 (1890) (Sec. 9-1-20). See Von Villas v. Williams, 314 R.I. 309, 314, 366 A.2d 545, 548-49 (1976). In the malpractice discovery cases, the cause of action accrues when the plaintiff discovers or, in the exercise of reasonable diligence, should have discovered, that he has sustained an injury due to the defendant's tortious conduct. Wilkinson, 104 R.I. at 234, 243 A.2d at 751. 54 The discovery rule generally is applied to delay accrual; the same facts that persuade courts to find the rule applicable, i.e., plaintiff's inability to know of the harm, also argue for a finding that plaintiff, in the exercise of reasonable diligence, could not have discovered his injury within the limitations period. The converse is also true. For the same reasons already stated at length in our discussion of the section 1983 claims, supra, we are persuaded that Marrapese's injury was discoverable. The discovery rule, if applied, yields the same result as the general accrual rule because Marrapese could and should, in the exercise of reasonable diligence, have discovered the full extent of his injury within the statutory three years following the March 16, 1975 incident. As we have pointed out, he was fully aware from the time of the incident of most of the details, including the questionable and likely tortious nature of the police conduct, see Mann v. Cannon, 731 F.2d 54, 63-64 (1st Cir.1984) (discussing Rhode Island false arrest law), the names of the chemicals applied, the burning sensation, and the ensuing rash. We think that he was on inquiry notice as to further aspects of the transaction, and could not simply sit back, without further investigation, and permit the statutory period to lapse. 15 55 We accordingly hold that the claims were time barred. 56 Reversed. 57