Rhode Island · Not a law firm — the tool that finds the right one
Rhode Island reopened abuse claims that used to be too old to file.
On July 1, 2026, a new Rhode Island law reopened civil claims for childhood sexual abuse — including claims against the institutions that hired, supervised, or failed to report the person who caused the harm. Claims that were previously time-barred can be brought now. They must be filed by June 30, 2028.
Free · Confidential · 24/7 · No fee unless there is a recovery · You choose how much to say
What actually changed
Rhode Island reopened the door in 2019 — but only against the individual accused of the abuse. Rhode Island's Supreme Court then held that schools, dioceses, homes and employers sat outside that reopening, so institutional cases kept getting dismissed as too old.
H-7200A, signed June 11, 2026 and effective July 1, 2026, closed that gap. The deadline now runs the same way for the institution as for the individual: the later of 35 years from the act or 7 years from when you connected the harm to what happened — and it expressly reaches conduct like hiring, supervision, training, monitoring, and failure to report.
⏳ Claims revived by the new law must be commenced by June 30, 2028. That means a case actually filed — not a phone call, not a letter, not an intake form. Firms need lead time to investigate before they file.
Does this apply to you?
Two things matter most: it happened when you were under 18, and it connects to Rhode Island — where it happened, or where the institution was.
Settings people most often ask about:
Sofia doesn't need details on the call. Claim type, roughly when, and where — that's enough to tell you whether firms are reviewing situations like yours.
One thing worth saying plainly: this reopening is for abuse that happened when you were a child. If you were an adult, Rhode Island's general three-year deadline applies instead and this window does not change it. And if the institution was the State of Rhode Island or a city or town agency, Rhode Island law caps what can be recovered from a public entity — a firm will tell you straight how that affects your situation before you decide anything.
How this works
- You call Sofia, or she calls you. She's an A.I. assistant and she says so. No hold music, no receptionist, no office hours, no one deciding whether you sound credible.
- A few questions. What kind of setting, roughly when, and where. You say as much or as little as you want. Nothing is shared beyond reviewing whether you may have a claim.
- A straight answer. If firms are taking Rhode Island cases like yours, she connects you for a free, no-obligation review. If it isn't a fit, she tells you that too.
Have Sofia call you
Fastest: call her now — she answers 24/7. Or fill this out and she calls when you say.
Fair questions
It happened decades ago. Isn't it too late?
That is exactly what the 2026 law changed. Rhode Island now measures the deadline as the later of 35 years from the act or 7 years from when you connected your injury to it — and claims that had already expired were revived, so long as they are filed by June 30, 2028. Whether yours fits is a question for a lawyer, and finding out is free.
Do I have to name the person who did it?
Not to Sofia. The new law is aimed largely at institutions — what they knew, who they hired, whether they reported. You can describe the setting without naming anyone, and decide later what you want to share with a firm.
Is Best Tort Lawyers a law firm?
No. We're a free matching service that connects people with independent law firms actively taking specific claim types. We don't give legal advice, and using this page or speaking with Sofia doesn't create an attorney-client relationship.
Is Sofia really an AI?
Yes, and she'll say so at the start of the call. For a lot of people that's the easier first conversation to have — no sales pressure, no judgment, any hour. If you'd rather speak to a person, tell her and she'll route you.
What does it cost?
Nothing. The call, the routing, and the case review are free. If a firm takes your case, they work on contingency — no fee unless there is a recovery. Each firm sets its own terms, including whether costs are owed if there is no recovery.
Who sees what I say?
Your information is used to review whether you may have a claim and to connect you with participating firms — nothing else. You can stop at any point, and you can reply STOP to any text to end contact.
What if I'm not sure I want to do anything?
Then find out where you stand and stop there. Knowing whether a deadline applies to you is worth two minutes even if you never file.