Tennessee § 29-26-116 - Statute of limitations — Counterclaim for damages.

§ 29-26-116. Statute of limitations — Counterclaim for damages.

The statute of limitations in health care liability actions shall be one (1) year as set forth in § 28-3-104. In the event the alleged injury is not discovered within such one-year period, the period of limitation shall be one (1) year from the date of such discovery. In no event shall any such action be brought more than three (3) years after the date on which the negligent act or omission occurred except where there is fraudulent concealment on the part of the defendant, in which case the action shall be commenced within one (1) year after discovery that the cause of action exists. The time limitation herein set forth shall not apply in cases where a foreign object has been negligently left in a patient's body, in which case the action shall be commenced within one (1) year after the alleged injury or wrongful act is discovered or should have been discovered. In any action for damages for personal injury or death, whether based on tort or contract law, or otherwise, a counterclaim for damages for malicious prosecution (on the ground that the principal action was instituted with improper intent and without probable cause) or malicious abuse of process (on the ground that there was an improper use with improper intent of the process) in filing such action may be filed and litigated in the same action; provided, that the counterclaim shall be based upon substantial allegations. Acts 1975, ch. 299, § 15; 1976, ch. 759, § 16; T.C.A., § 23-3415; Acts 2012, ch. 798, § 8. Amendments. The 2012 amendment substituted “health care liability actions” for “malpractice actions” in (a)(1). Effective Dates. Acts 2012, ch. 798, § 59. April 23, 2012. Textbooks. Pritchard on Wills and Administration of Estates (4th ed., Phillips and Robinson), § 637. Tennessee Jurisprudence, 6 Tenn. Juris., Constitutional Law, § 58; 18 Tenn. Juris., Limitations of Actions, §§ 4, 25, 34; 20 Tenn. Juris., Physicians and Surgeons, § 8. Law Reviews. 1985 Tennessee Survey: Selected Developments in Tennessee Law, 53 Tenn. L. Rev. 415 (1986). Attorney Malpractice — The Accrual of a Cause of Action, 42 Tenn. L. Rev. 784. Civil Procedure—Mills v. Wong: Procedural Due Process Does Not Toll the Tennessee Medical Malpractice Statute of Repose (Laura Martin), 36 U. Mem. L. Rev. 805 (2006). Comments on the Report of the Governor's Commission on Tort and Liability Insurance Reform (Jerry J. Phillips), 53 Tenn. L. Rev. 679 (1986). Constitutional Challenge to Medical Malpractice Review Boards, 46 Tenn. L. Rev. 607. Informed Consent (D. Scott Porch IV), 36 No. 8 Tenn. B.J. 18 (2000). Malpractice in Dealing with Medical Malpractice, 6 Mem. St. U.L. Rev. 437. Reopening Tennessee's Open Courts Clause: A Historical Reconsideration of Article I, Section 17 of the Tennessee Constitution, 27 U. Mem. L. Rev. 333 (1997). Savings Statutes v. Statutes of Repose: A Decision Is Reached with Cronin v. Howe (Philip E. Mischke), 32 No. 1 Tenn. B.J. 21 (1996). The Standard of Care and Informed Consent Under the Tennessee Medical Malpractice Act (Joseph H. King, Jr.). 44 Tenn. L. Rev. (2) 225. The Tolling of Statutes of Limitations in Tennessee, 14 Mem. St. U.L. Rev. 375 (1984). Things That Go Bump in the Night (John A. Day), 40 No. 5 Tenn. B.J. 27(2004). Torts — The Discovery Rule and the Statute of Limitations in Medical Malpractice Actions, 14 Mem. St. U.L. Rev. 115 (1983). Cited: Heller v. Smither, 437 F. Supp. 1, 1977 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17145 (M.D. Tenn. 1977); Buckner v. GAF Corp., 495 F. Supp. 351, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9742 (E.D. Tenn. 1979); Banton v. Marks, 623 S.W.2d 113, 1981 Tenn. App. LEXIS 547 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1981); Hawkins v. D & J Press Co., 527 F. Supp. 386, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16194 (E.D. Tenn. 1981); Foster v. Harris, 633 S.W.2d 304, 1982 Tenn. LEXIS 405 (Tenn. 1982); Evans v. Perkey, 647 S.W.2d 636, 1982 Tenn. App. LEXIS 404 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1982); In re Edge, 60 B.R. 690, 1986 Bankr. LEXIS 6085 (Bankr. M.D. Tenn. 1986); Bennett v. Hardison, 746 S.W.2d 713, 1987 Tenn. App. LEXIS 3096 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1987); Spence v. Miles Lab., 810 F. Supp. 952, 1992 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20664 (E.D. Tenn. 1992); Seaton v. Seaton, 971 F. Supp. 1188, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12566 (E.D. Tenn. 1997); Toler by Lack v. City of Cookeville, 952 S.W.2d 831, 1997 Tenn. App. LEXIS 89 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1997); McClellan v. Stanley, 978 S.W.2d 943, 1998 Tenn. App. LEXIS 292 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1998); Damron v. Media Gen., Inc., 3 S.W.3d 510, 1999 Tenn. App. LEXIS 326 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1999); Whitaker v. Whirlpool Corp., 32 S.W.3d 222, 2000 Tenn. App. LEXIS 171 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2000); Fahrner v. SW Mfg., Inc., 48 S.W.3d 141, 2001 Tenn. LEXIS 420 (Tenn. 2001); Crawford v. Beatty, 108 S.W.3d 877, 2003 Tenn. App. LEXIS 19 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2003); Holliman v. McGrew, 343 S.W.3d 68, 2009 Tenn. App. LEXIS 58 (Tenn. Ct. App. Feb. 5, 2009); Estate of Bell v. Shelby County Health Care Corp., 318 S.W.3d 823, 2010 Tenn. LEXIS 569 (Tenn. June 24, 2010); Brandon v. Williamson Med. Ctr., 343 S.W.3d 784, 2010 Tenn. App. LEXIS 703 (Tenn. Ct. App. Nov. 9, 2010); McNeary v. Baptist Mem. Hosp., — S.W.3d —, 2011 Tenn. App. LEXIS 121 (Tenn. Ct. App. Jan. 31, 2011); Etheridge v. YMCA, 391 S.W.3d 541, 2012 Tenn. App. LEXIS 54 (Tenn. Ct. App. Jan. 27, 2012); Johnson v. Floyd, — S.W.3d —, 2012 Tenn. App. LEXIS 448 (Tenn. Ct. App. June 29, 2012); Barnett v. Tenn. Orthopaedic Alliance, 391 S.W.3d 74, 2012 Tenn. App. LEXIS 659 (Tenn. Ct. App. Sept. 19, 2012).