These are the questions we are asked most often, answered directly. Each one links to a fuller guide if you want more detail.
Deadlines and Filing
How long do I have to file a claim in Connecticut?
Most injury claims must be filed within two years under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584, with a separate three year outer limit measured from the act or omission. Claims against a city, town, or the state can require written notice within 90 days. Wrongful death runs two years from the date of death. See our statute of limitations guide.
My child was injured. Does the clock wait until they turn 18?
No, and this surprises people. Connecticut appellate authority interpreting § 52-584 holds that the statute provides no exception for minors. Do not assume you have until your child’s eighteenth birthday.
Does calling a lawyer mean filing a lawsuit?
No. Most claims resolve without suit. Calling early usually means preserving evidence and getting answers, not litigating.
Fault
I was partly at fault. Can I still recover?
Usually yes. Connecticut uses modified comparative negligence under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-572h. Your award is reduced by your percentage of fault, and you recover nothing if you are 51 percent or more responsible. See our comparative fault guide.
The police report blames me. Is that final?
No. A police report is evidence, not a verdict, and officers sometimes get fault wrong. Fault is determined by the full record.
Do I have to report the accident?
Connecticut law requires a driver knowingly involved in an accident causing injury, death, or property damage to stop at once, render assistance as needed, and provide identifying information, or report to police if they cannot. See Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-224.
Insurance
What are Connecticut’s minimum coverage requirements?
The Connecticut Insurance Department states minimums of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 per accident for property damage. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is also required by law.
The other driver had no insurance. Now what?
Your own uninsured motorist coverage becomes the source of recovery. See what happens when the at fault driver has no insurance.
Do I have to give the other insurer a recorded statement?
No. You have a cooperation obligation to your own insurer, not to the opposing carrier. See dealing with insurance companies.
Should I accept the first offer?
Not before you know your medical picture. Settlement is final, and there is no returning for treatment you had not anticipated.
Will health insurance payments reduce my recovery?
Sometimes, but less often than people assume. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-225a allows a collateral source reduction of economic damages, but Connecticut’s Supreme Court has held that no reduction is permitted where any right of subrogation exists. Most health plans assert one. Non-economic damages are never reduced this way. See our damages guide.
Injuries and Medical Care
I felt fine at the scene but hurt now. Is that normal?
Very. Adrenaline masks pain, and neck, back, and head symptoms commonly appear over the following days. Get evaluated promptly, since gaps in treatment become the defense’s main argument. See what to do after a crash.
The crash seemed minor. Can I really be injured?
Yes. Vehicle damage and occupant injury do not track each other reliably. Concussions and disc injuries occur in low speed collisions.
Who pays my medical bills while the case is pending?
Typically health insurance, medical payments coverage on your own policy, or provider arrangements. The at fault insurer generally does not pay as you go.
Value and Fees
What is my case worth?
Nobody can answer that honestly at the outset, because value depends on whether your injuries resolve or become permanent. What drives it is permanency, treatment, effect on work, available coverage, and fault. See pain and suffering.
Can I get more than compensatory damages?
Possibly. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-295 permits double or treble damages where a party deliberately or with reckless disregard violated certain traffic statutes and the violation was a substantial factor in causing the injury. It must be specifically pleaded.
What does a lawyer cost?
Connecticut caps contingency fees by statute on a sliding scale under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-251c. There is no fee up front. See our contingency fee guide.
Process
How long will my case take?
It depends mostly on your medical recovery rather than on the courts. See case timelines.
Will I have to go to court?
Most cases settle. Filing suit is a negotiating posture as much as a path to trial.
How do I get my police report?
Through Connecticut State Police Reports and Records, or from the municipal department that responded.
Can I still claim if no police report exists?
Yes. See minor accident with no police report.
Should I post about the crash on social media?
No. Assume the defense will see everything. See how social media affects your case.
Ask Your Own Question
General answers only go so far. Your situation has specifics that change the analysis.
Talk with a Waterbury car accident lawyer, a personal injury lawyer, or a truck accident lawyer. Etemi Law also represents injured people in Hartford, New Britain, and Norwalk. Contact us for a free consultation.