Hurt in a car crash: medical bills in Connecticut: what to do

Build your plan

Choose your state and answer 3 quick questions. The plan below changes as you answer: steps that don't fit your answers are hidden, and your state's deadlines appear. It all happens in your browser. Nothing is sent, and the page address holds only your answers.

The plan builder needs JavaScript. Below is the full plan: steps marked “If you answered …” apply only in that case. Your state's deadlines are on the state pages listed at the bottom.

Your plan for Connecticut

Do now

If you are badly hurt, call 911. If you feel any pain after the crash, get checked the same day or as soon as you can, even if it seems minor.
Why: Some injuries show up hours or days later. Early medical records also connect the injury to the crash.
Tell every doctor, ER and clinic that the injury came from a car crash, and give them your auto insurance and claim number as well as your health insurance card.
Why: Providers bill differently for crash injuries: in PIP states they usually bill your auto insurer first, and your health plan may ask about the crash.
Tell your own auto insurer about the crash and your injury right away, and ask what medical coverage you have (PIP, medical payments) and the deadline to file for it.
Why: Policies require prompt notice, and some states set short PIP deadlines by law (see your state below).
Start a folder (paper or phone) for everything: photos of injuries, the police report number, the other driver's insurance, and every bill and receipt.
Why: You can only claim costs you can prove, and records are easiest to collect at the start.
If you answered “The other driver” to “Who caused the crash?”
If the other driver's insurer calls, you can give basic facts, but you do not have to give a recorded statement or sign a medical release or settlement right away.
Why: An early settlement usually ends your claim, before you know how much treatment you will need.

This week

File your PIP or medical payments claim with your own auto insurer in writing, and keep a copy.
Why: In no-fault and PIP states, your own PIP pays medical bills and part of lost wages first, whoever caused the crash. Medical payments coverage, if you bought it, also pays regardless of fault.
If you answered “The other driver” to “Who caused the crash?”
Open an injury (bodily injury) claim with the other driver's insurer. Ask for the claim number and adjuster's name, and tell them you are still being treated.
Why: In fault-based states their liability insurance pays your medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering, usually in one settlement at the end.
If you answered “I did” to “Who caused the crash?”
If you caused the crash, your own coverage pays your medical bills: PIP or medical payments if your policy has them, then your health insurance. See the plan for a crash you caused for claims against you.
Why: The other driver's liability insurance pays only for injuries their driver caused, so it usually will not pay yours.
If you answered “Both of us or not sure yet” to “Who caused the crash?”
If fault is shared or unclear, check your state's comparative fault rule below before you accept or argue an insurer's fault decision.
Why: In most states your share of fault reduces what you can get from the other driver; in a few states (for example, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and DC for drivers) any fault can bar you. PIP and medical payments pay regardless of fault.
If you answered “Yes” to “Is the injury serious (hospital stay, broken bone, surgery, lasting pain, or weeks off work)?”
Read your state's insurance system below and check whether your crash is likely to meet its threshold for suing for pain and suffering.
Why: In no-fault states you can sue the other driver for pain and suffering only for serious injuries or medical bills over a set amount.
If you answered “Health insurance through work or a private plan” to “What health coverage do you have?”
Give your health insurance to every provider, and ask your health plan whether it needs a form about the accident.
Why: Health insurance can pay what PIP does not cover or after PIP runs out; many plans ask about other insurance that might pay.
If you answered “Medicare” to “What health coverage do you have?”
Call Medicare's Benefits Coordination & Recovery Center (1-855-798-2627) to report the crash and any insurance claim or lawyer.
Why: Medicare may pay bills conditionally while the auto or liability insurer has not paid, and has the right to be repaid from a settlement.
If you answered “Medicaid” to “What health coverage do you have?”
Tell your state Medicaid office or plan about the crash and the insurance claim.
Why: Medicaid can also seek repayment from a settlement for crash-related care it paid; ask your Medicaid office how it handles this.
If you answered “None” to “What health coverage do you have?”
If you have no health insurance, ask each hospital about its financial assistance (charity care) policy, and ask providers to bill your PIP or medical payments coverage or hold bills while your claim is open.
Why: Many hospitals have financial assistance programs, and a provider that knows about the claim may wait instead of sending the bill to collections.
Keep a running record: each visit, prescription, mileage to appointments, days missed from work (ask your employer for a letter about lost pay), and short notes on pain and what you cannot do.
Why: Lost wages and out-of-pocket costs are part of the claim, and notes made at the time are more convincing than memory.
Request copies of your medical records and itemized bills.
Why: Insurers ask for them, and you need them to check that bills are only for crash injuries.

If it's not resolved

Finish treatment, or reach the point where your doctor says how you will recover, before you settle the injury claim.
Why: Once you sign a release you usually cannot ask for more, even if the injury turns out worse.
Before you settle, ask your health plan, Medicare or Medicaid in writing for the amount it says you must repay from the settlement, and check it lists only crash-related care.
Why: Repayment claims (liens or subrogation) come out of your settlement; errors in them are common and can be disputed.
If a provider sends a crash bill to collections while your claim is open, tell them in writing about the PIP or insurance claim (template below), and see the plans for a medical bill that seems too high or medical debt in collections.
Why: Providers can bill auto or health insurance first; a dispute in writing is your record.
If your PIP or the other driver's insurer delays or denies payment without a clear reason, see the plan for a denied insurance claim and file a complaint with your state insurance department.
Why: State insurance departments handle complaints about how insurers handle claims, for free.
Watch your state's deadline to sue for a personal injury. If you have not settled as it gets close, talk to a lawyer.
Why: After the deadline you usually lose the right to sue; settlement talks do not stop the clock.

Deadlines

Notice or claim deadline for your own PIP / no-fault benefits

General rule: Set by your policy and, in some states, by law (for example, a written no-fault claim within 30 days in New York; first medical care within 14 days to use PIP medical benefits in Florida; 60 days to choose PIP benefits in DC). See state.

In Connecticut:

No PIP is required. Connecticut has no no-fault law: you claim against the at-fault driver's liability insurance (or use your own collision coverage). The state requires liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and says collision and comprehensive are optional unless a lender requires them.

Law: Connecticut Insurance Department, Auto Insurance FAQ · checked Oct 2026 · Official source · From Accident Claim Map: Connecticut

Deadline to sue for a personal injury

General rule: see state

In Connecticut:

2 years

checked Oct 2026 · From Small Claims Map: Connecticut

Written notice of claim before suing a city, county, state or other government body (for example, a crash with a government vehicle or bus)

General rule: Often much shorter than the deadline to sue (for example, 90 days in New York, 6 months in California and DC). See state.

In Connecticut:

To claim money from the State of Connecticut, you usually must file with the Office of the Claims Commissioner within 1 year after the claim accrues (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 4-148).

Law: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584 (2 years from when the injury or damage is first sustained or discovered, and never more than 3 years after the act) · checked Oct 2026 · From Accident Claim Map: Connecticut

Tell your own auto insurer about the crash

General rule: Set by your policy ('prompt' notice). Do it within days.

Report the crash to police or the state when the law requires it

General rule: see state

In Connecticut:

Calling the police: Stop at once and help anyone hurt. Give your name, address, driver's license number and registration number to anyone hurt, to the owner of damaged property, or to a police officer or witness. If you can't do that (for example, the owner of a parked car isn't there), report the crash right away to a police officer, constable, state police officer or the nearest police station, with the place and circumstances and your details. On a limited-access highway, if only property is damaged and the car can be moved safely, move it off the travel lanes.
Report to the state: Connecticut no longer requires drivers to file their own crash report with the DMV (former § 14-108 is repealed).

Law: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-224(a), (b), (d); § 14-108 (repealed) · checked Oct 2026 · Official source · From Accident Claim Map: Connecticut

Key facts for Connecticut

Accident Claim Map

Fault or no-fault state: Fault (tort)
Shared fault rule: Modified (51% bar)
Deadline to sue: injury: 2 years
Deadline to sue: car damage: 2 years

Accident Claim Map: Connecticut · checked Oct 2026

Documents to gather

Police report number and copy
Your auto policy declarations page (shows PIP, medical payments, uninsured motorist coverage)
Claim numbers and adjuster names (your insurer and the other driver's)
Medical records, itemized bills and health plan Explanation of Benefits statements
Receipts for prescriptions, devices, mileage and other out-of-pocket costs
Letter from your employer about missed work and lost pay
Photos of injuries over time and a short pain and activity diary
Any letters from health plans, Medicare or Medicaid about repayment

Letters you can send

Fill in the blanks; the letter updates as you type. Copy it, print it or save it as a text file. Nothing you type is sent or saved: it stays on this page until you close it.

Notice of injury claim to the at-fault driver's insurer

Put the insurer on notice in writing that you were injured and are still being treated, and ask it to confirm the claim.

[Date of letter]

To: [Insurer name]
Re: Injury claim, your insured [Insured name], crash on [Date of crash] at [Crash location], claim [Claim number]

I was injured in the crash on [Date of crash] involving your insured. My injuries include: [Injury description]. I am being treated by [Treating providers] and my treatment is not finished.

Please confirm in writing that you have opened an injury claim, and send me the name and contact details of the adjuster. I will send my medical bills and records when treatment is complete or as you request. Please send any settlement proposal or release to me in writing.

[Your name]
[Your address]

Letter to a medical provider about a crash bill

Ask a provider to bill your PIP, medical payments or health insurance and to hold collection while the claim is open.

[Date of letter]

To: [Provider name]
Re: Account [Account number], services on [Date of service]

These services were for injuries from a car crash. Please bill my auto insurer, [Auto insurer name], claim [Auto claim number], and my health plan, [Health plan name], member ID [Health member id], as applicable.

Please send me an itemized bill, and please do not send this account to collections while the insurance claims are being processed. Tell me in writing if you need anything else from me.

[Your name]
[Your address]

Where to go

Local911 or the nearest emergency room
Serious injury or any worsening symptoms
StateYour state insurance department (consumer complaints)
An insurer delays, underpays or denies your claim without a clear reason
Check your state.
FederalMedicare Benefits Coordination & Recovery Center (1-855-798-2627)
You have Medicare and an auto, no-fault or liability insurance claim
FederalLegal aid (Legal Services Corporation finder)
You cannot afford a lawyer and need advice

Costs

Filing PIP, medical payments and liability claims, and complaints to the state insurance department, is free. Most PIP policies have limits and some have deductibles or copays (for example, Florida PIP pays 80% of reasonable medical bills). Injury lawyers usually work on a contingency fee (a share of what you recover), so ask what percentage, whether costs come out before or after it, and get it in writing.

Talk to a lawyer if

You were seriously hurt (hospital stay, surgery, broken bones, a lasting injury) or someone died
Your medical bills are larger than the PIP limit or the other driver's insurance limits
The insurer says you were partly at fault, or your state's no-fault threshold is in dispute
A health plan, Medicare or Medicaid claims a large repayment from your settlement
The crash involved a commercial truck, a rideshare driver or a government vehicle
Your state's deadline to sue is close and the claim is not settled

Free help

Free legal aid: the Legal Services Corporation's 'I Need Legal Help' page (lsc.gov) finds the legal aid office for your area, and LawHelp.org lists free legal help by state. Many state bar associations run lawyer referral services with low-cost first meetings. Your state attorney general or consumer protection office takes consumer complaints for free (find it on USA.gov).

Guides for your state

Guides for every state

Related situations

Questions

What is the notice or claim deadline for your own PIP / no-fault benefits in Connecticut?

No PIP is required. Connecticut has no no-fault law: you claim against the at-fault driver's liability insurance (or use your own collision coverage). The state requires liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and says collision and comprehensive are optional unless a lender requires them. (Connecticut Insurance Department, Auto Insurance FAQ)

What is the deadline to sue for a personal injury in Connecticut?

2 years

What is the written notice of claim before suing a city, county, state or other government body (for example, a crash with a government vehicle or bus) in Connecticut?

To claim money from the State of Connecticut, you usually must file with the Office of the Claims Commissioner within 1 year after the claim accrues (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 4-148). (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584 (2 years from when the injury or damage is first sustained or discovered, and never more than 3 years after the act))

What is the tell your own auto insurer about the crash?

Set by your policy ('prompt' notice). Do it within days.

What is the report the crash to police or the state when the law requires it in Connecticut?

Calling the police: Stop at once and help anyone hurt. Give your name, address, driver's license number and registration number to anyone hurt, to the owner of damaged property, or to a police officer or witness. If you can't do that (for example, the owner of a parked car isn't there), report the crash right away to a police officer, constable, state police officer or the nearest police station, with the place and circumstances and your details. On a limited-access highway, if only property is damaged and the car can be moved safely, move it off the travel lanes. Report to the state: Connecticut no longer requires drivers to file their own crash report with the DMV (former § 14-108 is repealed). (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-224(a), (b), (d); § 14-108 (repealed))

When should I talk to a lawyer?

You were seriously hurt (hospital stay, surgery, broken bones, a lasting injury) or someone died; Your medical bills are larger than the PIP limit or the other driver's insurance limits; The insurer says you were partly at fault, or your state's no-fault threshold is in dispute; A health plan, Medicare or Medicaid claims a large repayment from your settlement; The crash involved a commercial truck, a rideshare driver or a government vehicle; Your state's deadline to sue is close and the claim is not settled.

How much does it cost?

Filing PIP, medical payments and liability claims, and complaints to the state insurance department, is free. Most PIP policies have limits and some have deductibles or copays (for example, Florida PIP pays 80% of reasonable medical bills). Injury lawyers usually work on a contingency fee (a share of what you recover), so ask what percentage, whether costs come out before or after it, and get it in writing.

Plans by state

Open the plan with one state's rules filled in:

Sources

Plan checked Oct 2026. Independently fact-checked 2026-10-24. Some details could not be fully verified; see the notes in each section.

This plan is general legal information, not legal advice. RobinClaim is not a law firm. Laws and deadlines change and have exceptions: check with the official source or a lawyer or legal aid office about your own case. How we research.