Rhode Island § 45-21-21 - Retirement of Municipal Employees

§ 45-21-21. Retirement for accidental disability.

(a) Any member in active service, regardless of length of service, is entitled to an accidental disability retirement allowance. Application for the allowance shall be made by the member or on the member’s behalf, stating that the member is physically or mentally incapacitated for further service as the result of an injury sustained while in the performance of duty and certifying the time, place, and conditions of the duty performed by the member which resulted in the alleged disability, and that the alleged disability was not the result of the willful negligence or misconduct on the part of the member, and was not the result of age or length of service, and that the member has not attained the age of sixty-five (65). The application shall be made within five (5) years of the alleged accident from which the injury has resulted in the member’s present disability and shall be accompanied by an accident report and a physician’s report certifying the disability. If a medical examination made by three (3) physicians engaged by the retirement board, and other investigations as the board may make, confirm the statements made by the member, the board may grant the member an accidental disability retirement allowance.

(b) The retirement board shall establish uniform eligibility requirements, standards and criteria for accidental disability which apply to all members who make application for accidental disability benefits.