2006 Nebraska Revised Statutes - § 81-8,227 — Tort claim; limitation of action.

Section 81-8,227
Tort claim; limitation of action.

(1) Every tort claim permitted under the State Tort Claims Act shall be forever barred unless within two years after such claim accrued the claim is made in writing to the State Claims Board in the manner provided by such act. The time to begin suit under such act shall be extended for a period of six months from the date of mailing of notice to the claimant by the board as to the final disposition of the claim or from the date of withdrawal of the claim from the board under section 81-8,213 if the time to begin suit would otherwise expire before the end of such period.

(2) If a claim is made or filed under any other law of this state and a determination is made by a state agency or court that the State Tort Claims Act provides the exclusive remedy for the claim, the time to make a claim and begin suit under such act shall be extended for a period of six months from the date of the court order making such determination or the date of mailing of notice to the claimant of such determination by a state agency if the time to make the claim and to begin suit under such act would otherwise expire before the end of such period. The time to begin a suit under such act may be further extended as provided in subsection (1) of this section.

(3) If a claim is brought under the Nebraska Hospital-Medical Liability Act, the filing of a request for review under section 44-2840 shall extend the time to begin suit under the State Tort Claims Act an additional ninety days following the issuance of the opinion by the medical review panel if the time to begin suit under the State Tort Claims Act would otherwise expire before the end of such ninety-day period.

(4) This section and section 25-213 shall constitute the only statutes of limitations applicable to the State Tort Claims Act.

Source:

Laws 1969, c. 756, § 19, p. 2851

Laws 1974, LB 949, § 3

Laws 1984, LB 692, § 21

Laws 1988, LB 864, § 38

Cross References:

Nebraska Hospital-Medical Liability Act,see section 44-2855.

Annotations:

A claimant who files a tort claim with the Risk Manager of the State Claims Board 18 months or more after his or her claim has accrued, but within 2 years as provided in subsection (1) of this section, has 6 months to file suit from the date the board gives written notice to the claimant as to the final disposition of the claim. Collins v. State, 264 Neb. 267, 646 N.W.2d 618 (2002).

The discovery rule is applicable to the State Tort Claims Act, and in a case in which the plaintiff cannot reasonably become aware of the injury at the time of the act or omission, the discovery rule applies, and the period of limitations under the State Tort Claims Act begins to run when a potential plaintiff discovers, or in the exercise of reasonable diligence should discover, the existence of the injury. Shlien v. Board of Regents, 263 Neb. 465, 640 N.W.2d 643 (2002).

The 6-month time period contained in subsection (1) of this section is an extension of time, not a limitation, in those instances where the claimant has filed a so-called fourth-quarter claim. A claimant who files a tort claim with the State Claims Board 18 months or more after his or her claim has accrued, but within the 2-year statute of limitations, has 6 months from the date of mailing of notice by the board as to the final disposition of the claim or from the date of withdrawal of the claim, in which to begin suit. Sharkey v. Board of Regents of Univ. of Neb., 260 Neb. 166, 615 N.W.2d 889 (2000).

A claimant who files a tort claim with the risk manager of the State Claims Board 18 months or more after his or her claim has accrued, but within the 2-year statute of limitations, has 6 months from the first day on which the claim may be withdrawn from the claims board in which to begin suit. There is nothing in the State Tort Claims Act which contemplates the tolling of the limitations period or the granting of an extension of the limitations period because the claims board has set a date for hearing. Hullinger v. Board of Regents, 249 Neb. 868, 546 N.W.2d 779 (1996).

The language "time to begin suit" as used in this section means 2 years. Coleman v. Chadron State College, 237 Neb. 491, 466 N.W.2d 526 (1991).

~Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska