Connecticut's statute of limitations for personal injury claims
By Hannah Delgado · Updated 2026-06-10
Every personal injury claim in Connecticut runs on a clock, and that clock does not wait for you to feel ready. Understanding roughly how much time you have, and where the exceptions are, is one of the first things worth sorting out after any accident.
The general rule: two years
For most personal injury claims in Connecticut, the statute of limitations is two years from the date of the injury. This covers the most common claim types people search for:
| Claim type | General deadline |
|---|---|
| Car accident | 2 years from the date of the accident |
| Slip and fall / premises liability | 2 years from the date of the injury |
| Medical malpractice | 2 years from discovery, generally capped at 3 years from the act |
| Wrongful death | 2 years from the date of death |
| Workers’ compensation | Separate rules; report the injury promptly and file within the workers’ comp system’s own deadlines |
These are general guidelines, not a substitute for confirming your exact deadline. Exceptions exist, and they can shrink your window significantly.
Why claims against government entities are different
If your injury happened on a public road, a municipal building, or involved a government vehicle, Connecticut generally requires a formal written notice to the relevant government entity well before the standard two-year deadline, sometimes within 90 days. Missing this shorter notice window can bar your claim entirely, even though the general two-year period has not run out yet. If your accident involved any public property or vehicle, this is worth flagging to an attorney immediately, not months later.
Why the deadline matters more than it seems
Two years can feel like a long time right after an accident, especially while you are focused on recovering. But evidence degrades: witnesses move or forget details, surveillance footage gets overwritten, and vehicle damage gets repaired. Waiting even several months to gather evidence and speak with an attorney can weaken a claim well before the legal deadline arrives. The clock is not the only threshold that can shrink a claim either; see how shared fault affects your injury claim in Connecticut.
If you are unsure how much time you have left, our statute of limitations deadline checker gives you a rough estimate based on the type of claim and how long ago the incident occurred.
The discovery rule for medical malpractice
Medical malpractice deadlines work a little differently from a car accident or fall. Instead of running strictly from the date of the act, Connecticut generally allows two years from when you discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, the injury, with an outer cap of three years from the date of the negligent act itself. This matters because some malpractice injuries, like a surgical item left behind or a delayed diagnosis, are not obvious right away. If you suspect a medical error only became apparent months or years after treatment, the discovery rule may still preserve your claim, but the interaction between the two-year and three-year windows is technical enough that it is worth confirming with an attorney rather than assuming either deadline on its own.
What if a minor is injured
When the injured person is a minor, Connecticut law can adjust how the clock runs, sometimes extending the window until they reach a certain age. This is one of the narrow exceptions mentioned above, and it is fact-specific enough that parents should not assume a particular extension applies without checking. It is also not a reason to delay: gathering evidence while it is fresh still matters, even if the legal deadline itself turns out to be further away than the standard two years.
What to do if you are close to the deadline
If you are within a few months of what you believe is your deadline, treat it as urgent. Contact an attorney immediately rather than continuing to research on your own; filing a lawsuit takes preparation time, and attorneys need enough runway to review your case properly before a deadline hits. Waiting until the final week leaves little room for anyone to help.
This is general information, not legal advice, and it does not cover every exception. Deadlines can vary based on your specific circumstances, including claims involving minors or government entities. Confirm your exact filing deadline with a licensed Connecticut attorney as soon as possible.
Browse our full directory of personal injury attorneys in Hartford, or read our methodology to see how listings are evaluated.
FAQ
- How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Connecticut?
- For most personal injury claims in Connecticut, including car accidents and slip and falls, the deadline is generally two years from the date of the injury.
- What happens if I miss the filing deadline?
- If the statute of limitations expires before you file a lawsuit, the court will almost always dismiss your case regardless of how strong it is, so the deadline is not flexible in practice.
- Is the deadline different for claims against a city or state agency?
- Yes. Claims against government entities in Connecticut often require a written notice within a much shorter window, sometimes as little as 90 days, well before the general two-year deadline.
- Does the clock ever pause or reset?
- In limited situations, such as when the injured person is a minor, the deadline can be affected. These exceptions are narrow and fact-specific, so do not rely on one without confirming it applies to you.