Medical Debt Statute of Limitations in Connecticut

Last verified 2026-07 · Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-576 ✓ verified · 3 sources

Connecticut law sets a hard deadline of 6 years to sue over unpaid medical bills. The controlling statute is Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-576, and the clock generally starts on Date right of action accrues — typically date of last service rendered or date first payment became due. Below: exactly when that clock starts, the exceptions that can pause it, and the traps that shorten it.

Connecticut Deadlines for Related Claims

When the Clock Starts

In Connecticut, the limitations period for medical debt collection generally begins on Date right of action accrues — typically date of last service rendered or date first payment became due. Connecticut does not apply a general discovery rule to this claim type — the date of the event controls, which makes early action critical.

Exceptions That Can Extend the Deadline

• Minors: the clock is generally paused while the injured person is under 18.
• Fraudulent concealment: if the defendant actively hid the wrongdoing, the deadline may be extended until it was or should have been uncovered.
• Defendant leaves the state: absence can pause the clock in many circumstances.

Written patient financial agreements and open accounts (hospital billing) carry a 6-year SOL under CGS § 52-576. Purely oral contracts carry 3 years under § 52-581. In practice most hospitals obtain written financial agreements, making the 6-year period the operative rule for medical debt collection. Minor/incapacity tolling under § 52-576(b) allows 3 additional years after legal capacity is restored.

Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-576, official Connecticut statute · verified 2026-07

What to Do Before the Deadline Runs

1. Pin down your accrual date — the day the clock started — and calendar the deadline conservatively.
2. Preserve evidence now: photos, records, witness contacts, bills. Evidence decays faster than deadlines.
3. Send preservation/notice letters where required (especially for Connecticut government defendants).
4. If the deadline is inside 6 months, treat it as urgent — filing suit is the only reliable way to stop the clock.

How Connecticut Compares to Nearby States

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

This page is legal information, not legal advice. Deadlines have exceptions that depend on your facts — confirm with a licensed Connecticut attorney.