A statute of limitations is a statute, or law, that restricts the period of time, after certain events, that a person may initiate legal proceedings. These time limits vary depending on the type of case and the state where the particular cause of action occurred. After the time limit has passed, the injured person no longer has the right to sue to recovery money damages, unless a legal exception applies. The following provides a brief summary, in alphabetical order, of some of the limitations periods for the state of Connecticut for those actions related to personal injury, medical malpractice, and some products liability. Please contact a qualified Connecticut lawyer to find out how a statute of limitations applies to your situation.
Fraud:
Actions based on fraud must be filed within 3 years.
Hazardous Materials Exposure:
Actions based on personal injury due to exposure to hazardous materialsmust be filed within two years from the date the injury was, or should have reasonably been, discovered.
Libel-Slander-Defamation:
These types of actions must be filed within 2 years from the date of the action.
Medical Malpractice:
All actions against medical professionals must be filed within 2 years of the date the injury occurred or should have been discovered. No medical malpractice action may be filed more than 3 years from the date of the act resulting in the injury
Personal Injury:
Personal injury actions must be filed within 2 years from the date of the injury.
Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Actions Chart
Product Liability:
Product liability actions must be filed within 3 years from the date the injury occurred or was, or should have been, discovered.
Professional Malpractice:
All actions against professionals must be filed within 2 years from the date the injury was, or reasonably should have been, discovered. No action may be taken beyond 3 years from the date of the act resulting in the injury.
Wrongful Death:
Wrongful death actions must be filed within 2 years of the date of death. It must be noted, however, that no wrongful death suit may be filed more than five years after the act in question.
Special Rules Tolling the Statute of Limitations:
A statute of limitations is tolled when certain conditions are present. When a statute is tolled, the limitations period is essentially put on hold for a period of time. Some typical reasons that a statute is tolled include situations when the victim of the injury was a minor at the time of the injury (minority), when the victim of the injury was mentally incompetent at the time of the injury (mental incompetence), and when the defendant has filed bankruptcy.
Unlike many other states, Connecticut does not have any statutes that extend the limitations period in relation to plaintiffs who are, or were, minors at the time of injury.
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