Personal Injury Lawyer Help in New London County, CT

Injury claims in New London County: what to know first

New London County, Connecticut includes 36 named communities, the largest being New London, Waterford, Ledyard. Whether an accident happened on a county road, in a small town or in one of the larger communities, the same Connecticut rules apply: a 2-year filing deadline for most injury claims, modified comparative negligence (51% bar), and lawsuits filed in the New London County Superior Court. This page is the county-wide guide, with links to a page for each community.

You describe what happened anywhere in New London County using the free case review form, and your request may be shared with participating attorneys or legal services partners who handle that type of matter in Connecticut. Submitting a request does not hire an attorney, and everything below is general legal information, not legal advice about your specific situation.

Injury claims in New London County: key facts

Injury lawsuit deadline: two years from the injury date (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584)
Medical malpractice deadline: two years
Fault rule: modified comparative negligence (51% bar)
Auto insurance system: At-fault (liability insurance pays)
Minimum auto liability: 25/50/25 (thousands: per person / per accident / property)
Where lawsuits are filed: New London County Superior Court
Tell your employer: Immediately (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-294b)
Workers' comp claim: one year — Connecticut Workers' Compensation Commission
Fatal crashes, 2020-2024: 131 in New London County; none coded to New London County itself (NHTSA FARS)
Attorney fees: Injury attorneys commonly work on contingency; confirm fee terms before hiring

Which roads in New London County have the most fatal crashes?

From 2020 through 2024, federal crash records list 131 fatal crashes in New London County, in which 139 people died. The roads with the most were I-95 with 16 fatal crashes, I-395 with 9 and State Route 32 with 5.

Roads with the most fatal crashes in New London County, 2020-2024
Road	Fatal crashes, 2020-2024	Deaths	Latest year
I-95	16	16	2024
I-395	9	10	2024
State Route 32	5	6	2024
State Route 12	5	5	2024
US-1 (street name not recorded)	5	5	2024
State Route 2	4	4	2022
State Route 354	3	4	2023
State Route 82	3	4	2021
Broad St (State Route 85 / US-1)	3	3	2024
State Route 164	3	3	2024

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2020-2023 Final File and 2024 Annual Report File (ARF), national data files downloaded from NHTSA on November 3, 2026. A crash counts for a road under the trafficway the reporting agency recorded; the same street with and without a route number is one row, a route recorded without a street name keeps its own row, and a route's ramps, frontage roads and business route have rows of their own; roads with fewer than two fatal crashes are not listed. The 2024 figures are NHTSA's first release for that year and may change in its Final File.

How to cite these figures: Ask Legal Matters, "Fatal crashes in New London County, CT, 2020-2024," compiled from NHTSA FARS (2020-2023 Final File and 2024 Annual Report File (ARF)), https://asklegalmatters.com/injury-guides/connecticut/new-london-county/, checked November 3, 2026. Downloads and method: https://asklegalmatters.com/injury-guides/data/.

The yearly count was 21 in 2020, 25 in 2021, 25 in 2022, 27 in 2023 and 33 in 2024; 44% of the crashes happened after dark. 13 involved a pedestrian, cyclist or other person outside a vehicle, and 18 happened at or near an intersection.

Fatal crashes are the most serious outcome on these roads; many more crashes cause injuries without a death. Whatever the severity, the police crash report, photos of the scene and prompt medical records are the starting evidence for a claim.

Communities in the county with the most fatal crashes coded to them:

Reporting the crash in Connecticut

In Connecticut, a driver knowingly involved in a crash that injures anyone or damages property must stop, help, and give their name, address, license and registration numbers to the injured person or owner, a witness or an officer; a driver who cannot do that must report the crash immediately to the police (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-224). Police complete the crash report.

Who must report: A driver knowingly involved in a crash that injures anyone or damages property who cannot give their name, address, license and registration numbers to the injured person or owner, a witness or an officer
Report to: A police officer, constable, state police officer or motor vehicle inspector, or the nearest police precinct or station
Deadline: Immediately
Driver's form: None for drivers: the investigating officer completes the uniform crash report for crashes with a death, an injury or more than $1,000 of damage to any one person's property
Copy of the crash report: Connecticut State Police (DESPP): reports and records

Sources: Connecticut General Statutes, chapter 248 (2026 Supplement); Connecticut General Statutes, chapter 246; Connecticut DESPP: reports and records. Checked November 3, 2026. General information, not legal advice; local rules and police practice can add steps.

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Communities in New London County

Each community below has its own guide with the local court, insurance rules and every type of injury claim.

Smaller communities in New London County include Bozrah, East Lyme, Gilman, Hadlyme, Hanover, Lebanon, Mashantucket, Montville, North Franklin, North Stonington, North Westchester, Oakdale, Old Lyme, Preston, Quaker Hill, South Lyme, Stonington, Taftville, Versailles, Voluntown, West Mystic, Yantic. Residents of these areas follow the same Connecticut rules, use the same New London County Superior Court, and can request a free case review from anywhere in the county.

Connecticut's two years statute of limitations

Connecticut generally gives an injured person two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584); medical malpractice is different (two years). Wrongful death claims follow their own deadline, which can differ from the one above. Claims against a city, county, school district or state agency follow separate and often much shorter deadlines. Once the deadline passes, the New London County Superior Court will dismiss the case regardless of how clear the fault was, so the practical rule in New London County is to get legal advice early.

How fault works: modified comparative negligence (51% bar)

Connecticut follows modified comparative negligence (51% bar). In plain terms, you can recover as long as you were not more than 50% at fault, and your award is reduced by your share of fault. Insurance adjusters apply this rule from the first phone call, which is why the way an accident is described and documented in the days after it happens in New London County has a direct effect on what a claim is worth.

Auto insurance in Connecticut: an at-fault system

After a crash in New London County, the at-fault driver's liability insurance is the primary source of compensation. Connecticut requires drivers to carry only 25/50/25 in coverage (thousands of dollars for bodily injury per person, per accident, and property damage), which serious injuries quickly exhaust. Underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy and claims against additional responsible parties often make the difference in New London County cases.

Where New London County injury cases are filed

Lawsuits arising from accidents in New London County are typically filed in the New London County Superior Court, the trial court of general jurisdiction for New London County, although cases can sometimes be filed where the defendant resides or does business, and claims against out-of-state trucking companies or manufacturers may end up in federal court. Most claims settle before trial, but the credible ability to try a case in New London County is what moves insurers to pay fair value.

Workplace injuries: Connecticut Workers' Compensation Commission

Employees injured on the job in New London County are generally covered by Connecticut workers' compensation, administered through the Connecticut Workers' Compensation Commission. Report the injury to your employer immediately (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-294b) — a late report can delay or put the claim at risk, and the exceptions vary by state — then file the formal claim within one year. Workers' compensation does not pay for pain and suffering, so when a third party such as a subcontractor, driver or equipment manufacturer caused the injury, a separate personal injury claim is often worth pursuing alongside it.

Frequently asked questions

Is there 2025 fatal crash data for New London County?

Not yet from the federal census of fatal crashes. The newest national file is NHTSA's 2024 Annual Report File, the first release for 2024, used here with the 2020-2023 Final Files; NHTSA had not published 2025 FARS data when this page was updated on November 3, 2026. FARS counts every crash on a public road in which someone died within 30 days, and a crash counts for New London County when the reporting agency coded it there. Some cities and states post newer counts on their own crash dashboards, which use their own definitions.

How long do I have to file an injury lawsuit in New London County?

Generally two years from the date of injury under Connecticut law (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584); medical malpractice claims generally have a two years limit, and claims against the county, a city or the state require notice much sooner.

Which court handles injury cases in New London County?

The New London County Superior Court is the trial court for New London County. Some claims may be filed where the defendant lives or does business, and claims against out-of-state companies can be removed to federal court.

I live in a small town in New London County. Do the same rules apply?

Yes. Connecticut's deadline, fault rule and insurance requirements apply everywhere in the state. Smaller communities simply have fewer local attorneys, which is one reason people use a free case review request to reach attorneys who handle cases across New London County.

What if I was partly at fault?

Connecticut applies modified comparative negligence (51% bar): you can recover as long as you were not more than 50% at fault, and your award is reduced by your share of fault.

Is Ask Legal Matters a law firm?

No. Ask Legal Matters is a personal injury lead-generation service that collects free case review requests from injured people in the United States and shares them with independent attorneys and law firms. It is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. Requests may be shared with independent attorneys and legal services partners who handle inquiries in Connecticut, and submitting a request does not hire an attorney.

Common questions after a crash in New London County

After a crash in New London County, most people ask the same questions first. These guides answer them in plain English; the Connecticut rules that change the answers are explained on this page.