If you were sexually abused in Connecticut — whether it happened last year or decades ago — you may still have the right to take legal action. Many survivors assume it’s “too late,” but Connecticut’s laws are more protective than most people realize.
This page explains the time limits (called “statutes of limitations”) that apply to sexual abuse cases in Connecticut, in plain language. If you have questions about your specific situation, we’re happy to talk it through with you — there’s never a fee for the initial conversation.
The Key Rules at a Glance
| YOUR SITUATION | DEADLINE TO FILE | CT STATUTE | KEY DETAIL |
| Abused under age 18, abuse occurred before October 1, 2019 | Until you turn 48 | §52-577d (original) | 30 years after turning 18 |
| Abused under age 21, abuse occurred after October 1, 2019 | Until you turn 51 | §52-577d (amended) | 30 years after turning 21 |
| Abused at age 21 or older | 2 or 3 years from the act depending on the nature of the legal claim | §52-577 | General tort statute; shorter window |
| Abuser convicted of section 53a-70 or 53a-70a | No time limit | §52-577e | Applies regardless of your age at the time |
It can be confusing. Not sure which category applies to you? That’s completely normal. Call us at (203) 782-9241 and we’ll help you figure it out in a few minutes. There’s no obligation and no fee for this conversation.
Understanding Each Rule in Detail
If You Were Under 21 and the Abuse Occurred After October 1, 2019
You have until you turn 51 to file a civil lawsuit.
In 2019, Connecticut extended the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse to give survivors more time. Under the amended law (§52-577d), a person who was under the age of 21 when the abuse occurred has 30 years from their 21st birthday to bring a claim. That means you can file anytime before your 51st birthday, but the abuse must have occurred after October 1st, 2019.
This is one of the longest windows in the country. Connecticut’s legislature recognized that it often takes survivors years — sometimes decades — to fully process what happened and feel ready to come forward.
If You Were 21 or Older When the Abuse Occurred
The general rule is 2 or 3 years from the date of the act, depending on the nature of the legal claim.
When the abuse occurs after a person’s 21st birthday, it falls under Connecticut’s general tort statute (§52-577), which provides a three-year window from the date of the wrongful act. If it is a negligence claim, you have two years. This is a shorter window, but there is a significant exception (see below).
This category includes situations like sexual assault by an employer, a clergy person, a medical professional, a teacher or professor, a caretaker, or anyone else when the victim is an adult.
The Conviction Exception: No Time Limit
If your abuser was convicted of sexual assault in the first degree or aggravated sexual assault in the first degree, there is no statute of limitations for your civil lawsuit.
Under §52-577e, Connecticut eliminated the time limit entirely for civil claims when the defendant has been criminally convicted of these specific offenses. This applies regardless of how old you were when the abuse occurred or how long ago it happened.
This means that even if other deadlines have passed, a criminal conviction may reopen the door to a civil claim for damages.
What Can You Recover in a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit?
If your case is within the statute of limitations, you may be entitled to compensation for:
- Therapy and mental health treatment — past and future costs
- Emotional pain and suffering — often the largest component of a settlement
- Lost income and earning capacity — if the abuse affected your ability to work
- Medical expenses — related to injuries caused by the abuse
- Punitive damages — to punish especially reckless or deliberate behavior by an institution or abuser
You Can Sue More Than Just the Abuser
An important part of Connecticut sexual abuse law is that you don’t just have a claim against the person who abused you. You may also have a claim against the institution that enabled it — and in many cases, that’s where the meaningful recovery comes from.
Institutions can be held liable when they knew or should have known that there was a risk of sexual abuse and failed to protect you. Examples include:
- The Catholic Church — Connecticut’s three dioceses (Hartford, Bridgeport, and Norwich) have paid over $130 million to survivors
- Other Religious Bodies — Protestant churches, synagogues, Jehovah Witnesses
- Schools and boarding schools — including private institutions like Choate, Hotchkiss, and others with documented abuse and cover-ups
- Youth organizations — Boy Scouts, YMCA, sports clubs, and other organizations entrusted with children
- Employers — who failed to address known harassment or assault
- Government agencies — including DCF and juvenile facilities that failed to protect children in their care
Common Questions
“I never reported what happened to the police. Can I still sue?”
Yes. A civil lawsuit is completely separate from any criminal matter. You do not need to have filed a police report, and most of our clients never did. The legal system recognizes that survivors often don’t report for years or decades, and that doesn’t affect your right to pursue a civil case.
“I don’t have any proof or documentation. Is that a problem?”
Not necessarily. Most childhood abuse cases don’t start with documentation. Institutions like the Catholic Church often maintain internal files documenting complaints about abusers — files they don’t voluntarily disclose. Our firm has been successful in obtaining these records in every case where they existed, including confidential “Archival Files” that only the Archbishop or Bishop has access to. We know how to build a case. It is mind-boggling to read these documents which often show concern for the offending priest but no mention of helping his victims.
“Will my name be made public?”
In most cases, no. The vast majority of sexual abuse cases settle out of court. In cases that are filed, it is often possible to proceed under a pseudonym (such as “John Doe” or “Jane Doe”). Your privacy is something we take seriously and discuss with you from the very first conversation.
“The person who abused me has passed away. Can I still sue?”
Yes. You can still pursue a case against the institution that enabled the abuse, even if the individual abuser is deceased. In fact, many of the cases our firm has handled involved abusers who are no longer alive. The focus of these cases is on the institutional responsibility — the people and organizations that knew about the abuse and failed to stop it.
“How much does it cost to hire your firm?”
Nothing upfront. We handle sexual abuse cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no attorney fees unless we recover money for you. The initial consultation is always free and confidential.
Our Experience With Sexual Abuse Cases in Connecticut
Attorney McNamara has dedicated a significant part of his career to representing survivors of sexual abuse in Connecticut. Some highlights of that work:
- Attorney McNamara won the first and only clergy sexual abuse case to go to trial against the Archdiocese of Hartford — resulting in a plaintiff’s verdict, with an eventual post-appeal recovery of $1,661,413.50. The Connecticut Supreme Court found all the issues in favor of Tom’s client.
- Attorney McNamara represented 16 of 43 survivors in a $22 million group settlement with the Archdiocese of Hartford
- Attorney McNamara has handled cases against all three Connecticut Catholic dioceses (Hartford, Bridgeport, and Norwich)
- Attorney McNamara has recovered millions of dollars individually for survivors of abuse in churches, schools, entertainment facilities, and other institutions
- Attorney McNamara filed the first sexual abuse lawsuit against a priest in Connecticut in 1992. The case went to trial and the priest, Rev. Felix Maguire, had to sell one of his houses to pay the jury’s verdict.
Find Out If You Still Have Time
Every situation is different, and this page is meant to provide general guidance — not legal advice for your specific case. The only way to know for certain whether you’re within the statute of limitations is to speak with an attorney who handles these cases.
We’ve been representing survivors in Connecticut for over 35 years. If you’re wondering whether you still have time to take action, we’d welcome the chance to talk with you.
Connecticut’s 48 Year Statute of Limitations – Legislative Notes
In 2019, Attorney McNamara, along with other members of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, attended a hearing at the Connecticut Legislature to support a change to C.G. S. 52-577d, the civil sexual abuse statute of limitations. The purpose of the hearing was to extend or eliminate the time limit to bring a claim for sexual abuse of a minor. One of Attorney McNamara’s clients gave a gripping and emotional testimony describing his sexual abuse by Reverend Daniel McSheffery, a priest of the Archdiocese of Hartford who has a history of savagely sexually abusing countless young boys. He explained how he never spoke publicly about the abuse, speaking of the shame, guilt, and the stigma that he believed attached to the abuse, stating, “The church is too powerful, who would believe me over them?”
Unfortunately, the legislature failed to support the change we requested, and instead added a time limit to age 51, but the new statute was not retroactive, thus leaving most survivors with the previous version, which allowed suit to be filed up until your forty-eighth birthday if abused as a minor. You should consider calling sooner than later to protect your claim. Attorney McNamara will continue to support a more survivor-friendly revision of the statute the next time the legislature chooses to address the issue.
Call (203) 782-9241 for a free, confidential consultation. There is no obligation and no fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the some of the most common questions about sexual abuse below. If you’ve experienced sexual abuse or suspect that someone else you know has, reach out to us to learn more.
- Contact someone you trust. Many people feel fear, guilt, anger, shame and/or shock after they have been sexually assaulted. Some are frightened that no one will believe them. Some survivors feel that they will be seen as a willing participant in the acts. It is most often the case that survivors do not fight back during the abuse. Keep in mind that you are not at fault for not resisting the sexual abuse.
- Having someone there to support you as you deal with these emotions can make a big difference. It may be helpful to speak with a counselor, someone at a sexual assault hotline, or a support group.
- Report what happened to the police. If you do decide to report what happened, you will have a stronger case if you do not alter or destroy any evidence. This means don’t shower, wash your hair or body, comb your hair, or change your clothes, even if that is hard to do. If you are nervous about going to the police station, it may help to bring a friend with you.
- Go to an Emergency Room or clinic. It is very important to seek healthcare as soon as possible after being assaulted. You will be treated for any injuries and offered medications to help prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted illness.
In many sexual abuse cases, victims are abused as children. Not having records or documentation is common, especially when young victims are told by their abusers not to reveal what happened, often with threats of harm to them or their family. Clergy sex abusers often use the threat of hell to silence the victim.
We’ll work with you to recreate events, find any available records, and gather photos of you at the age of the abuse, as well as procure other evidence needed to make our case.
Acts of sexual abuse can implicate two types of proceedings in the courts, namely criminal and civil. Criminal cases are brought by the State of Connecticut or the United States of America in Federal Court for violation of criminal statutes, potentially resulting in fines, probation, criminal records, and/or imprisonment. Civil cases for sexual abuse are bought by a person against another person, agent, or entity, such as a corporation or a business, for compensation in the form of money damages for the harm caused by sexual abuse. Multiple parties may be held liable for their involvement or failure to prevent the abuse. Compensation in these civil cases is in the form of money damages to compensate you for your losses, both economic and non-economic.
A child who is experiencing abuse may start exhibiting a plethora of telling signs, including, but not limited to, sleep difficulty and nightmares, avoiding activities they typically enjoy, emotional instability, bed wetting, repeating the acts on dolls or others, becoming withdrawn, or refusing to talk. Unexplained bruising can also be an indicator.
Because many victims of sexual abuse often know and trust—or fear—their perpetrators, it can be difficult for them to speak out. Start by gently asking them about what’s happening in their lives. Let them know that you’re there for them if they’re not ready to talk.
If you do suspect abuse, it’s best not to delay. You can talk directly to the police or your local children’s social services agency, which can be anonymous.
Because many victims of sexual abuse often know and trust—or fear—their perpetrators, it can be difficult for them to speak out against them. Start by gently asking them about what’s happening in their lives. Let them know that you’re there for them if they’re not ready to talk.
If you do suspect abuse, it’s best not to delay. You can talk directly to the police or your local children’s social services agency, which can be anonymous.
In Connecticut, the age at which you were abused will determine which statute of limitation will apply to your case. A civil claim for damages from childhood sexual abuse may often be filed well into adulthood—usually at any time before the victim turns 48 if abused under the age of 18 (Connecticut General Statutes 52-577d). Amended in 2019, the statute now states that a victim has until age 51 to bring their case. However, this amendment is not retroactive.
If you were abused when over the age of 18, you have up to three years after the act to file your lawsuit. However, if your abuser has been convicted of sexual assault in the first degree, there is no statute of limitations to bring a civil claim. (Connecticut General Statutes 52-577e).
The majority of sexual abuse cases settle out of court. If your case does go to trial, we will do everything we can to prepare you, hopefully to the point that you can’t wait to get on the witness stand and tell your story.
While money damages awarded can vary based on who the defendants are (i.e., individual vs. organization), sexual abuse survivors have the right to seek monetary compensation for the damages they have suffered, including:
- Economic damages: Medical expenses, expenses for past and future mental health treatment, and at times loss of income. .
- Non-economic damages: Compensation for intangible losses, such as emotional trauma, which can be more difficult to quantify but usually far greater than the economic damages.
- Punitive damages: Punishment for the defendant’s reckless and wanton conduct that evidences a blatant disregard for the victim’s safety.
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It’s a great privilege and responsibility to represent any client. If you trust us with your case — and your story — we will give you our very best. It starts by telling us about your case.
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