Connecticut Car Accident Compensation – How It Works

Yes. Like most states, Connecticut has what’s known as an at-fault car insurance system. This simply means that the at-fault party is responsible for paying injury victims for their accident-related expenses.

As a rule, this means the at-fault driver’s insurance company must pay for the accident. But it’s not so simple. In many cases, insurance companies don’t cooperate. That’s because there’s often a lot of money at stake and many insurance companies will do everything they can to protect their bottom line.

What type of car insurance is mandatory in Connecticut?

In Connecticut, all drivers are required to have a minimum amount of liability insurance coverage. The mandatory minimum required liability coverage for Connecticut drivers includes:

• $25,000 for property damage in an accident, including vehicle repairs. 
• $25,000 for injury or death per person in an accident.
• $50,000 for injury or death for more than one person in an accident.

In addition, Connecticut drivers are required to carry uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. This insurance stands in for the other driver’s insurance if you are hit by an uninsured driver, or a driver who doesn’t have enough coverage to pay for the full cost.

What optional car insurance is available in Connecticut?

Many drivers in Connecticut choose to purchase additional insurance coverage for added protection. Additionally, it's also a good idea to regularly review and update your insurance coverage to make sure it meets your changing needs and circumstances. Common types of additional car insurance available in Connecticut include:

• Underinsured motorist conversion coverage – This unique type of insurance allows you to “stack” your UIM coverage with the other driver’s insurance if you are hit by an underinsured driver. Without conversion coverage, your UIM coverage only covers the gap between the other driver’s insurance and your own UIM policy limit. So for instance, without conversion coverage, if you are hit by a driver who has the minimum $25,000 liability coverage and you have $50,000 in UIM coverage, you can only collect $50,000 total - $25,000 from the at-fault driver and $25,000 to make up the gap from your own UIM policy. With conversion coverage, you can collect $75,000 - $25,000 from the other driver and the full $50,000 from your own insurance policy.
• Medical payments coverage (MedPay) – This type of optional car insurance covers medical expenses for you and your passengers if you are involved in a car accident, regardless of fault.
• Collision coverage – This type of insurance covers damage to your vehicle if you are involved in an accident, regardless of who was at fault. This can include damage from a collision with another vehicle, or damage to your car due to hitting a stationary object, such as a tree or a guardrail.
• Comprehensive coverage – This type of insurance pays for vehicle repairs due to damage to your vehicle caused by events other than a motor vehicle accident, such as theft, vandalism, fire, natural disasters and collisions involving animals.
• Roadside assistance coverage – This type of insurance provides compensation if your vehicle breaks down while you are on the road. It can pay for services such as towing, tire changes, jump-starts, and fuel delivery.
• Rental reimbursement coverage – This type of insurance covers the cost of a rental car if your vehicle is damaged in an accident and is being repaired.

This depends on the circumstances. The value of your claim will depend on the extent of your injuries and the effects on your life. It may also depend on the amount of available insurance.

Insurance companies in particular often only take into account short-term expenses immediately after an accident. But such expenses are often only just the start. In many cases, injury victims have significantly more accident-related bills, sometimes years after their collision.

Add all these past, present and future anticipated expenses up and your accident claim could easily be worth thousands of dollars more than what some insurance companies claim your accident is worth. That’s why it often pays to talk to an attorney as soon as possible after your Connecticut car accident.

What car accident expenses can I be compensated for in Connecticut?

You should be financially compensated for all your Connecticut car accident expenses. Such expenses can cover a wide range, including:

• Medical care for accident-related injuries.
• Ongoing medical treatment for long-term health issues.
• Money to repair your vehicle damage or buy a new car.
• Replacement income if you need time off from work to recover from your injuries.
• Lost future earnings due to a permanent disability.

Who decides how much my car accident is worth in Connecticut?

You might be surprised to learn who decides how much money you should receive for your car accident in Connecticut. In many cases, it’s the insurance companies who have the most to say – your insurance company and the other driver’s insurance company.

This is important because they have a vested interest in how much money is awarded to you and other car accident injury victims. In particular, the at-fault driver’s insurance company will often downplay the seriousness of an accident and claim that you should receive far less money than the true value of your claim.

This is why you should have a lawyer who can take part in these important conversations. That way, you can make sure that your car accident injury claim is calculated correctly and your attorney can demand full and fair financial compensation for all your accident expenses.

Ideally, how much money you receive for your car accident should be based on the total financial impact of your collision. Unfortunately, that’s not how the process always works, especially when insurance companies are the only ones calculating your car accident settlement offer.

Instead of taking into account all your expenses, many insurance companies only include short-term expenses soon after an accident. This approach fails to take into account many long-term expenses due to a serious car accident. Such expenses, such as follow-up medical care, might not occur only years after an accident. But they should always be factored in when deciding how much money you should receive for your collision.

Don’t simply take an insurance company’s word for it when they claim you should receive a certain amount of money for your collision. Always seek a second opinion and talk to an experienced Connecticut car accident lawyer to learn more about how much money you could be entitled to receive for your crash.

Should I accept a car accident settlement offer?

Don’t be surprised if you receive a financial settlement offer soon after your Connecticut collision. You might be tempted to accept such an offer, especially if you already have a lot of unpaid bills and expenses due to your accident.

But it’s important to understand what it means if you agree to accept a settlement offer for your accident. Once you accept a settlement, that’s it. Your case is settled. You have forfeited your right to negotiate for more, even if your expenses turn out to be much higher.

Insurance companies know this. That’s why they often make settlement offers to injury victims soon after a collision. They’re hoping you’ll accept such an offer, which is often far less money than what you should receive for your accident. That’s why it’s important to carefully consider any settlement offer before you agree to accept it.

Can I request more money for my car crash?

Yes. What insurance companies don’t want you to know is you have the right to request more money. This is important since as we briefly explained above, many settlement offers don’t even come close to covering all your accident-related expenses.

Remember, if someone else caused your collision, you deserve to be financially compensated for all your accident-related expenses. That’s the law in Connecticut. Otherwise, you could end up having to pay for part of your accident out of your own pocket. And such additional expenses can easily add up to thousands of dollars or significantly more.

Yes. Car accident victims in Connecticut have the right to seek financial compensation for injury-related expenses in the form of a car accident lawsuit. However, it’s important for injury victims to understand that they only have a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit or take other legal action.

In Connecticut, the deadline for filing a lawsuit for a car accident is two years from the date of the collision. This deadline is known as the statute of limitations and is clearly spelled out in Connecticut General Statute §52-584.

Two years might seem like a long time to legally respond to your collision. But the reality is the longer you wait, the harder it often becomes to find the evidence you need to build a successful legal case. That’s why you should talk to an attorney right away after your Connecticut car crash to learn more about your legal options.

Can I sue for pain and suffering for a car accident in Connecticut?

Yes. Like many other states, Connecticut allows car accident injury victims to file a lawsuit for non-economic damages, including pain and suffering. Non-economic damages is a legal term that refers to compensation for something that does not have a specific dollar amount attached to it, unlike say vehicle repairs or medical bills, which are considered economic damages.

It’s also important to understand that Connecticut does not have a cap on damages for pain and suffering. As a result, you can seek the maximum financial compensation for pain and suffering without worrying about any legal limits for how much money you request as part of your car accident lawsuit. It all depends on what your attorney can make a case for.

What if the other driver doesn’t have car insurance?

In Connecticut, all drivers are required to carry uninsured motorist insurance (UM). This means that if you are hit by an uninsured driver, your UM coverage will stand in for the other driver’s insurance – so you can file an uninsured motorist claim with your own insurance company. You can also file a collision or MedPay claim with your own insurance company if you have those types of coverage.

However, just because you are legally entitled to receive compensation from your insurance company for your car crash involving an uninsured driver does not mean you will automatically receive such money. In many cases, insurance companies – including your own – will do everything they can to pay you as little as possible.

This is why you should seek the advice of an attorney as soon as possible after your accident. Along with being compensated by your insurance company, there may be other possible sources of compensation for your uninsured car accident.

Many car crashes in Connecticut quickly turn into complicated legal matters. It’s also important to realize that you only have one opportunity to obtain financial compensation for a lifetime’s worth of accident-related expenses. So if you don’t take decisive action fast, you could end up having to pay for your car accident for the rest of your life.

Experienced attorneys understand what’s at stake and can skillfully guide you through the compensation process after your Connecticut car accident. Lawyers who handle such cases know how to investigate them, gather evidence, negotiate with insurance companies and take legal action if necessary.