Medical malpractice in Connecticut
Remittitur review, not a hard cap
Connecticut medical malpractice claims generally must be filed within two years of discovery and no more than three years after the act. They need a good-faith certificate and a similar-provider written opinion with the complaint. They do not face a hard statutory noneconomic damages cap.
Last reviewed September 22, 2026
- Noneconomic cap
- No hard cap
- Usual filing window
- 2 years
- Opinion letter
- Required
Court review if noneconomic damages exceed $1,000,000
From discovery, and within 3 years of the act
Similar-provider opinion filed with the complaint
Damage caps
Connecticut has no fixed dollar ceiling on medical malpractice damages. If a jury specifies more than $1,000,000 in noneconomic damages against a health care provider, the court must review whether that amount is excessive as a matter of law and may order a remittitur or a new trial. That review is not an automatic cut to $1,000,000.
Not capped
Economic damages
Economic damages are limited by proof. There is no general medical malpractice ceiling on those losses. Collateral-source rules under C.G.S. section 52-225a and following may adjust an economic award. Confirm those rules on the facts.
No hard cap
Noneconomic damages
There is no hard statutory noneconomic damages cap. When a jury verdict in a health care provider negligence action specifies noneconomic damages exceeding $1,000,000, section 52-228c requires the court to review whether the amount is excessive as a matter of law, meaning it shocks the sense of justice or reflects partiality, prejudice, mistake, or corruption. If the court finds that it is excessive, the court orders a remittitur or a new trial. The statute does not automatically reduce the award to $1,000,000.
The $1,000,000 figure is a remittitur review trigger, not a hard cap. A verdict above that amount can stand when the court finds it is not excessive as a matter of law.
Filing deadlines
File within two years after the injury is discovered or should have been discovered, and within three years of the act or omission. A petition under the good-faith statute automatically adds 90 days for the required inquiry. A missing or defective opinion letter can lead to dismissal.
- General rule
No action to recover damages for injury to the person or to property caused by negligence, reckless or wanton misconduct, or malpractice of a listed provider, including a physician, surgeon, dentist, podiatrist, chiropractor, advanced practice registered nurse, hospital, or sanatorium, may be brought except within two years from the date the injury is first sustained or discovered, or in the exercise of reasonable care should have been discovered. No such action may be brought more than three years from the date of the act or omission complained of, subject to limited counterclaim timing in the statute.
- 90-day extension
A petition under section 52-190a(b) automatically extends the statute of limitations by 90 days so the claimant can complete the required reasonable inquiry. The extension applies in addition to other tolling periods.
- Opinion letter
Before filing, counsel or the party must make a reasonable inquiry and attach a certificate that the inquiry supports a good-faith belief of negligence against each named defendant. To show good faith, the claimant obtains a written and signed opinion of a similar health care provider, under section 52-184c, that there appears to be evidence of medical negligence, including a detailed basis. A copy is attached with the provider's name and signature removed. Failure to obtain and file the written opinion is grounds for dismissal.
- Mediation
A covered health care provider negligence action with a valid section 52-190a certificate is referred to mandatory mediation, or to another agreed alternative dispute resolution program.
- Wrongful death
A wrongful-death claim generally follows C.G.S. section 52-555, often two years from death. Coordinate that rule with the malpractice discovery period and the three-year repose. Do not treat them as one deadline.
What cases often look like
These notes describe public legal patterns. They are not case counts, win rates, or rankings.
The opinion letter is the early dismissal risk
Similar-provider credentials and a detailed basis are the early trap. A missing or thin written opinion can end the case before the damages question is reached.
Court review is not a front-end cap
A noneconomic award above $1,000,000 draws remittitur review. That review is not an automatic reduction to $1,000,000, and it is not a hard cap.
Ninety days can be added for the inquiry
A petition under the good-faith statute automatically adds 90 days. It is a calendar tool. It does not replace the opinion letter.
Payout context
Payment amounts vary by year, injury, and setting. This page does not state an average payout, a median, or a case count. To predict the payout for a Connecticut case, use MedMalPredict AI - Medical Malpractice Outcome Prediction.
Opinion-letter compliance, mediation, and proof of damages usually matter more than any single statutory dollar figure.
Sources
Official statute and agency pages checked September 22, 2026. First research pass on September 22, 2026. This summary still needs legal review before it is treated as legal advice. Connecticut has no fixed statutory noneconomic damages cap. C.G.S. section 52-228c requires the court to review a health care provider negligence verdict when the verdict specifies noneconomic damages above $1,000,000 and to decide whether that amount is excessive as a matter of law. That review is a remittitur trigger, not an automatic reduction to $1,000,000. The filing period under section 52-584 is two years from discovery and three years from the act or omission. Section 52-190a requires a certificate of good faith and a similar-provider written opinion, and a petition grants an automatic 90-day limitations extension. Section 52-190c requires mediation. A wrongful-death claim under section 52-555 is a separate deadline. Do not collapse it into the malpractice rule on this page.
- C.G.S. §§ 52-190a, 52-190c, 52-225a, and 52-228c (opens in a new tab)Accessed September 22, 2026
- C.G.S. § 52-584 (limitations) (opens in a new tab)Accessed September 22, 2026
Review a case with MedMalPredict
Use MedMalPredict to organize records and timelines. Speak with a Connecticut attorney about the good-faith opinion letter and whether a 90-day petition extension is needed.