Section 4. Actions of contract or tort for malpractice, error or mistake against attorneys, certified public accountants and public accountants, actions for assault and battery, false imprisonment, slander, libel, actions against sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, constables or assignees in insolvency for the taking or conversion of personal property, actions of tort for injuries to the person against counties, cities and towns, and actions of contract or tort for malpractice, error or mistake against hairdressers, operators and shops registered under sections eighty-seven T to eighty-seven JJ, inclusive of chapter one hundred and twelve, actions of tort for bodily injuries or for death the payment of judgments in which is required to be secured by chapter ninety and also actions of tort for bodily injuries or for death or for damage to property against officers and employees of the commonwealth, and of any county, city or town, arising out of the operation of motor or other vehicles owned by the commonwealth, including those under the control of said commission, or by any such county, city or town, suits by judgment creditors in such actions of tort under section one hundred and thirteen of chapter one hundred and seventy-five and clause (9) of section three of chapter two hundred and fourteen and suits on motor vehicle liability bonds under section thirty-four G of said chapter ninety shall be commenced only within three years next after the cause of action accrues.
Actions of contract or tort for malpractice, error or mistake against physicians, surgeons, dentists, optometrists, hospitals and sanitoria shall be commenced only within three years after the cause of action accrues, but in no event shall any such action be commenced more than seven years after occurrence of the act or omission which is the alleged cause of the injury upon which such action is based except where the action is based upon the leaving of a foreign object in the body.
For the purposes only of this section, an officer or enlisted person of the military forces of the commonwealth, as defined in chapter thirty-three, shall while performing any lawfully ordered military duty be deemed to be an officer or employee of the commonwealth.
Structure Massachusetts General Laws
Part III - Courts, Judicial Officers and Proceedings in Civil Cases
Title V - Statutes of Frauds and Limitations
Chapter 260 - Limitation of Actions
Section 1 - Actions Requiring Commencement Within Twenty Years
Section 2 - Contract Actions; Actions Upon Judgments or Decrees of Courts of Record
Section 2a - Tort, Contract to Recover for Personal Injuries, and Replevin Actions
Section 2b - Tort Actions Arising From Improvements to Real Property
Section 2c - Actions for Damages, Etc. for Physical Alteration or Destruction of Fine Art
Section 2d - Actions to Recover Costs of Asbestos Related Corrective Actions
Section 2e - Actions Against the Dalkon Shield Claimants Trust
Section 3 - Misconduct or Negligence of Deputies; Actions Against Sheriffs
Section 3a - Claims Against Commonwealth
Section 4 - Certain Tort or Contract Actions for Malpractice, Error or Mistake
Section 4a - Back Wages, Actions to Recover
Section 4b - Hit and Run Accidents
Section 4c - Sexual Abuse of Minors
Section 5 - Penalties and Forfeitures
Section 5a - Consumer Protection Actions
Section 5b - Civil Rights Actions
Section 6 - Mutual and Open Account Current
Section 7 - Minors and Incapacitated Persons
Section 8 - Citizens of Enemy Country; Suspension of Limitation
Section 9 - Nonresident Defendant; Suspension of Limitation
Section 10 - Death of Party; Effect
Section 11 - Contracts or Acts of Fiduciaries
Section 12 - Fraudulent Concealment; Commencement of Limitations
Section 13 - Acknowledgment or New Promise; Effect
Section 14 - Part Payment; Effect
Section 15 - Acknowledgment or New Promise by Joint Contractor; Effect
Section 16 - Acknowledgment or New Promise by Joint Contractor; Judgment
Section 17 - Action Not to Be Dismissed for Failure to Join Barred Party Defendant
Section 18 - Actions by State; Laws Applicable
Section 19 - Special Limitations
Section 19a - Currency; Euro as Commercially Reasonable Substitute and Substantial Equivalent
Section 20 - Presumption of Satisfaction of Judgment
Section 22 - Accrual of Right or Title to Land; Limitation
Section 28 - Possession of Land; Requisites
Section 29 - Estates Tail; Barring Remainders and Reversions
Section 30 - Estates Tail; Death of Tenant; Effect
Section 31 - Actions by Commonwealth
Section 31a - Right of Entry for Condition Broken or Possibility of Reverter; Procedure
Section 32 - Dismissal of Action or Reversal or Vacation of Judgment; Commencement of New Action
Section 33 - Obsolete Mortgages
Section 34 - Extension of Mortgage; Acknowledgment That Mortgage Not Satisfied, Etc.