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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>61676</law_id><section_number>8.01-243</section_number><catch_line>Personal action for injury to person or property generally; extension in actions for malpractice against health care provider</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>8.01-229</reference><reference>8.01-243.1</reference><reference>8.01-244</reference><reference>8.01-246</reference><reference>8.01-249</reference><reference>8.01-250</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="8.01">Civil Remedies and Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="4">Limitations of Actions</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Personal Actions Generally</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Unless otherwise provided in this section or by other <span class="dictionary">statute</span>, every action for personal injuries, whatever the theory of recovery, and every action for <span class="dictionary">damages</span> resulting from <span class="dictionary">fraud</span>, shall be brought within two years after the <span class="dictionary">cause of action</span> accrues. <a id="paragraph-225175" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-243/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Every action for injury to property, including <span class="dictionary">actions</span> by a parent or guardian of an infant against a <span class="dictionary">tort</span>-feasor for expenses of curing or attempting to cure such infant from the result of a personal injury or loss of services of such infant, shall be brought within five years after the <span class="dictionary">cause of action</span> accrues. An infant&#x2019;s claim for medical expenses pursuant to subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Joinder of action of tort to infant with action for recovery of expenses incurred thereby and claim for recovery of expenses by infant" href="/8.01-36/">8.01-36</a> accruing on or after July 1, 2013, shall be governed by the applicable <span class="dictionary">statute of limitations</span> that applies to the infant&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">cause of action</span>. <a id="paragraph-225176" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-243/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The two-year limitations period specified in subsection A shall be extended in <span class="dictionary">actions</span> for malpractice against a health care provider as follows: <a id="paragraph-225177" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-243/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> In cases arising out of a foreign <span class="dictionary">object</span> having no therapeutic or diagnostic effect being left in a patient&#x2019;s body, for a period of one year from the date the <span class="dictionary">object</span> is discovered or reasonably should have been discovered; <a id="paragraph-225178" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-243/#C1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> In cases in which <span class="dictionary">fraud</span>, concealment, or intentional misrepresentation prevented <span class="dictionary">discovery</span> of the injury within the two-year period, for one year from the date the injury is discovered or, by the exercise of due diligence, reasonably should have been discovered; and <a id="paragraph-225179" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-243/#C2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> In a claim for the negligent failure to diagnose a malignant tumor, cancer, or an intracranial, intraspinal, or spinal schwannoma, for a period of one year from the date the diagnosis of a malignant tumor, cancer, or an intracranial, intraspinal, or spinal schwannoma is communicated to the patient by a health care provider, provided that the health care provider&#x2019;s underlying act or omission was on or after July 1, 2008, in the case of a malignant tumor or cancer or on or after July 1, 2016, in the case of an intracranial, intraspinal, or spinal schwannoma. Claims under this section for the negligent failure to diagnose a malignant tumor or cancer, where the health care provider&#x2019;s underlying act or omission occurred prior to July 1, 2008, shall be governed by the <span class="dictionary">statute of limitations</span> that existed prior to July 1, 2008. Claims under this section for the negligent failure to diagnose an intracranial, intraspinal, or spinal schwannoma, where the health care provider&#x2019;s underlying act or omission occurred prior to July 1, 2016, shall be governed by the <span class="dictionary">statute of limitations</span> that existed prior to July 1, 2016.
				However, the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to extend the limitations period beyond 10 years from the date the <span class="dictionary">cause of action</span> accrues, except that the provisions of subdivision A 2 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Suspension or tolling of statute of limitations; effect of disabilities; effect of death; injunction; prevention of service by defendant; dismissal, nonsuit or abatement; devise for payment of debts; new promises; debts proved in creditors' suits" href="/8.01-229/">8.01-229</a> shall apply to toll the <span class="dictionary">statute of limitations</span> in <span class="dictionary">actions</span> brought by or on behalf of a <span class="dictionary">person</span> under a disability. <a id="paragraph-225180" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-243/#C3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Every action for injury to the <span class="dictionary">person</span>, whatever the theory of recovery, resulting from sexual abuse occurring during the infancy or incapacity of the <span class="dictionary">person</span> as set forth in subdivision 6 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="When cause of action shall be deemed to accrue in certain personal actions" href="/8.01-249/">8.01-249</a> shall be brought within 20 years after the <span class="dictionary">cause of action</span> accrues. <a id="paragraph-225181" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-243/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D1"><p><span class="prefix-number">D1.</span> For a <span class="dictionary">cause of action</span> accruing on or after July 1, 2020, every action for injury to the <span class="dictionary">person</span>, whatever the theory of recovery, resulting from sexual abuse, other than those <span class="dictionary">actions</span> specified in subsection D, shall be brought within 10 years after the <span class="dictionary">cause of action</span> accrues. <a id="paragraph-225182" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-243/#D1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D2"><p><span class="prefix-number">D2.</span> Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections D and D1, every action for injury to the person, whatever the theory of recovery, resulting from sexual abuse occurring when the person was 18 years old or older by a <span class="dictionary">person of authority</span> over a victim shall be brought within 15 years after the <span class="dictionary">cause of action</span> accrues. For the purposes of this subsection, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">person of authority</span>&#x201D; means a person in a position of trust having influence over the victim&#x2019;s life. <a id="paragraph-225183" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-243/#D2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Every action for injury to property brought by the Commonwealth against a <span class="dictionary">tort</span>-feasor for expenses arising out of the negligent operation of a motor vehicle shall be brought within five years after the <span class="dictionary">cause of action</span> accrues. <a id="paragraph-225184" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-243/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 8-24; 1954, c. 589; 1973, c. 385; 1977, c. 617; 1986, cc. 389, 454; 1987, cc. 294, 645, 679; 2008, c. 175; 2011, cc. 617, 641; 2013, cc. 551, 689; 2014, c. 586; 2016, c. 190; 2020, c. 1125; 2023, c. 27.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
