Connecticut Personal Injury Statute of Limitations: What You Need to Know Before It's Too Late

One of the most common mistakes personal injury victims make is waiting too long to consult an attorney. In Connecticut — and in every state — there are strict legal deadlines for filing personal injury claims. Miss the deadline and you may lose your right to any compensation, regardless of how strong your case is.

These deadlines are called statutes of limitations. Here is what you need to know about the key deadlines that apply to the most common types of personal injury cases in Connecticut.

General Personal Injury — 2 Years

In Connecticut, the general statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of the injury. This applies to most car accident cases, construction accidents, and other standard personal injury matters.

Two years sounds like a long time, but building a strong personal injury case takes time — gathering medical records, obtaining expert opinions, investigating the accident, and negotiating with insurers. Starting the process early gives your attorney the best possible chance of achieving a strong outcome.

Special Rule: Minors in Personal Injury Cases

In Connecticut, the statute of limitations does not run against a minor during the period of minority. This means that a person who was injured as a minor generally has until two years after their 18th birthday — i.e., until age 20 — to file a personal injury claim, regardless of when the injury occurred.

However, this tolling protection has limits. Connecticut courts have held that a parent's claim for medical expenses on behalf of an injured child is subject to the standard two-year limitation running from the date of injury — the tolling applies to the minor's own personal injury claim, not to the parent's derivative claim. Families with injured children should consult an attorney promptly to protect all available claims.

Concealment by the Defendant

If a defendant fraudulently conceals the cause of an injury — for example, if a manufacturer suppresses evidence that its product is dangerous, or a defendant destroys records — Connecticut law allows the statute of limitations to be tolled during the period of concealment. The clock does not begin running until the plaintiff discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, the concealed facts.

This is particularly significant in cases involving asbestos, defective products, and pharmaceutical injuries, where manufacturers have historically concealed evidence of harm. If you believe a defendant's concealment may have delayed your discovery of a claim, contact us — the deadline may be later than you think.

Wrongful Death — 2 Years, But the Estate Must Be Opened First

If a family member has been killed due to someone else's negligence, Connecticut law provides two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death claim. There is also an outer limit of five years from the act or omission that caused the death.

An important and often overlooked requirement: in Connecticut, only the executor or administrator of the deceased person's estate has the legal standing to file a wrongful death claim — not individual family members. If your loved one had a will, the named executor brings the claim. If there is no will, the Probate Court must appoint an administrator before the lawsuit can be filed.

This probate process takes time. If your family waits until close to the two-year anniversary of the death before opening the estate, the probate procedures alone could cause you to miss the filing deadline. Do not wait to consult an attorney and begin the estate administration process.

Mesothelioma — 3 Years from Diagnosis

Mesothelioma is unique among personal injury claims because the disease has a latency period of 20 to 50 years. Connecticut law reflects this reality — the statute of limitations for mesothelioma personal injury claims runs three years from the date of diagnosis, not the date of exposure.

For wrongful death claims following a mesothelioma death, the deadline is three years from the date of death.

Medical Malpractice — 2 Years with a Discovery Rule

Connecticut's medical malpractice statute of limitations is two years from the date the injury was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered — with an absolute outer limit of three years from the date of the act or omission.

Special rule for minors: if the patient was under 18 years old at the time of the malpractice, the statute of limitations is tolled during the period of minority. A minor generally has until two years after their 18th birthday — age 20 — to file a medical malpractice claim. For children under eight years old at the time of the malpractice, the deadline may extend to the child's tenth birthday or the standard limitation period, whichever is longer.

Bus and Train Accidents — 2 to 3 Years, But Watch for Shorter Deadlines

The general personal injury statute of limitations applies to most bus and train accident claims — two years in Connecticut, three years in New York. However, claims against government-operated transit systems often have much shorter notice requirements:

• Claims against Connecticut state-operated transit authorities may require notice within 90 days of the accident
• Claims against New York City Transit require a notice of claim within 90 days
• No-fault insurance claims in New York must be filed within 30 to 60 days of the accident

Missing these shorter deadlines can bar your claim entirely, even if the main statute of limitations has not yet expired.

Product Liability — 3 Years, with Important Nuances

Product liability claims in Connecticut are subject to a three-year statute of limitations from the date of injury or the date the injury was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered through reasonable diligence.

Connecticut also imposes a statute of repose for product liability claims — a fixed outer deadline running from the date the product was manufactured, sold, or entered the stream of commerce. Once the repose period expires, claims may be barred even if the injury was only recently discovered. The exact repose period depends on the product and circumstances; if you were injured by an older product, legal review is essential.

Special rules for minors: As with personal injury generally, the statute of limitations does not run against a minor in product liability cases during the period of minority. A minor injured by a defective product generally has until at least age 20 (two years after turning 18) to file — though the statute of repose may still apply. Families should consult an attorney as soon as possible.

Concealment: If a manufacturer or defendant concealed a product defect or suppressed evidence of harm, Connecticut law allows the statute of limitations to be tolled during the period of concealment. This is particularly significant in cases involving pharmaceutical products, medical devices, and industrial materials where manufacturers have historically delayed disclosure of known dangers.

Protecting Yourself: Keep Your Insurance Coverage High

One of the most important things any driver or vehicle owner can do to protect themselves is maintain the highest possible uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage on their own automobile insurance policy.

If you are seriously injured by an at-fault driver who has no insurance — or minimal insurance — the most you can recover from that driver's insurance is their policy limit. Your own UM/UIM coverage fills that gap — but only up to the limit of your own policy. The higher your own policy limit, the more protection you have.

Why the Practical Deadline Is Earlier Than the Legal Deadline

Even when the law gives you two or three years, the practical deadline for building a strong case is much shorter. Key evidence — surveillance footage, accident scene photographs, witness memories, vehicle black box data, driver logs — can disappear within days or weeks of an accident. The sooner you have an attorney working on your case, the better positioned you will be.

What If I Think I Have Missed the Deadline?

In some circumstances, the statute of limitations can be tolled — paused — by factors such as the injured person being a minor, a defendant fraudulently concealing the cause of an injury, or a delayed discovery of the injury. If you believe you may have missed a filing deadline, contact us as soon as possible. There may be more options available than you think.

Free Case Evaluation — No Fee Unless We Win

Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki LLC has been protecting the rights of the seriously injured in Connecticut and across the United States since 1974. We handle all personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis — you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

Injured and need legal representation? Contact Jazlowiecki & Jazlowiecki LLC for a free case evaluation. Call (860) 589-8000 — available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No fee unless we win.