R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-33-1: Employees entitled to compensation.

If an employee who has not given notice of his or her claim of common law rights of action, or who has given the notice and has waived the common law rights, as provided in § 28-29-19, receives a personal injury arising out of and in the course of his or her employment, connected and referable to the employment, he or she shall be paid compensation, as hereinafter provided, by an employer subject to or who has elected to become subject to the provisions of chapters 29 — 38 of this title.