Occurrence Rule Law and Legal Definition
Occurrence rule is a principle of civil law that the period of limitations begins to run when the alleged wrongful act or omission occurs, and not when the plaintiff discovers the injury. This rule is applicable to most breach-of-contract claims where the statutory period begins upon the happening of the alleged breach of duty. The occurrence rule, is the opposite of discovery rule, which tolls the statute of limitations until the time the plaintiff knows or should have known with the exercise of reasonable diligence that he sustained an injury.
