After Connecticut's recent push to move civil cases faster with tighter court scheduling and settlement conferences, the number that matters most is still 2 years. In most injury cases, Connecticut gives you 2 years from the injury to sue, and no more than 3 years from the act that caused it under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584.

So no, your coworker's rule is not true.

Holding out does not automatically get more money. Sometimes it gets more. Sometimes it just burns time while bills stack up, especially if you are missing work and the household depends on your income.

What insurers are doing behind closed doors is usually pretty simple: they price your claim based on medical records, lost wages, future work limits, and how much fault they can pin on you. In a New Haven crash during hurricane season, that can mean arguments about hydroplaning, storm debris, flooded roads, speed on I-95, or tight Merritt Parkway conditions.

A low offer often comes before your treatment is clear. If Yale-New Haven Hospital records show serious pelvic injuries, surgery, or lasting restrictions, the value can rise a lot once doctors document permanency and future care.

"Going to court" also gets oversold. Filing suit does not mean you are headed straight to a jury. Usually it means:

• the complaint gets filed in Connecticut Superior Court
• both sides exchange records and take depositions
• there may be a judge-led pretrial settlement conference
• many cases settle before trial ever starts

The bigger myth is that trial is always the power move. It is not. If liability is shaky, or if you could be found more than 50% at fault, Connecticut's comparative negligence rule can wipe out recovery entirely. On the other hand, if the offer ignores future wage loss, long-term disability, or clear trauma findings, taking the case deeper into litigation may be the only thing that moves the number.