What to Expect After You Hire a Personal Injury Attorney in Connecticut

When you have been hurt by the negligence or wrongdoing of others, hiring a personal injury attorney can help you protect your rights.

However, you may not know what to expect after hiring a lawyer, and that’s totally normal. Most people don’t hire personal injury attorneys very often, so understanding the process of navigating the justice system with a lawyer by your side can feel overwhelming.

Fortunately, this guide will help you learn all you need to know about working with an attorney to recover personal injury compensation. You’ll see exactly what to expect after hiring a personal injury lawyer in Connecticut so you can take the right steps to get full and fair compensation for your losses.

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Content Last Updated:

June 18, 2026

Table of Contents

Your Attorney Investigates and Builds Your Case
Your Attorney Calculates the Full Value of Your Claim
What to Expect From KJSR Throughout Your Case

Understanding the personal injury process is important for Connecticut victims.
After you hire a personal injury lawyer, your attorney will investigate your case
Your attorney can help you to estimate the value of your claim.
An experienced attorney will write a demand letter to the insurer to start negotiations on your terms.
Your attorney can go to court to fight for justice if you can’t get a fair settlement offer.

Kennedy, Johnson, Schwab & Roberge, P.C. is a trusted personal injury law firm located in New Haven, Connecticut, and serving clients throughout New Haven and the surrounding areas. The firm was founded in 1988 to represent the injured and has developed a strong reputation over many decades as being both knowledgeable and aggressive advocates for clients.

While we tailor the personal injury process in Connecticut to each client’s unique case, certain steps are a routine part of the Connecticut personal injury case timeline.

Here’s what you can expect from Kennedy, Johnson, Schwab & Roberge, P.C. as you navigate the justice system with a law firm that takes a meticulous approach to case preparation.

Your Attorney Investigates and Builds Your Case

Let’s start with what happens after you hire a personal injury lawyer.

The very first thing your attorney does is begin building your case. This means gathering evidence to identify who was to blame for the incident that hurt you. The goal is to be able to prove that their wrongdoing or carelessness was the direct cause of your harm.

Some of the steps your attorney will take in gathering evidence include:

Gathering police reports, accident reports, and incident documentation
Collecting and preserving physical evidence and photographs
Identifying and interviewing witnesses
Requesting and reviewing complete medical records
Working with accident reconstruction experts or other specialists, where needed
Documenting all economic losses (including medical bills, lost wages, out-of-pocket costs)

The stronger your evidence showing the defendant was to blame, and the clearer the evidence of your injuries, the better your chances of getting full compensation for losses.

Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle at KJSR

The process of hiring a personal injury attorney in Connecticut should be focused on finding a lawyer with experience handling your specific type of case. That’s because different kinds of cases require different types of evidence and legal arguments.

Kennedy Johnson has represented clients in all different types of injury claims, including both large and small claims. Here are some of the different kinds of cases our team is well-prepared to handle

Your Attorney Calculates the Full Value of Your Claim

It’s also important to understand what your claim is worth, especially in light of Connecticut’s modified comparative negligence rule, which allows you to recover partial compensation if someone else caused you harm but you also contributed to the accident. You can still pursue a claim under this rule as long as your share of the fault is 50% or less.

Understanding the different types of injury compensation is necessary to get an accurate estimation of how much your claim might pay.

Kennedy, Johnson, Schwab & Roberge, P.C. evaluates both past and future economic and non-financial loss to estimate what a fair amount of compensation looks like. This includes:

Totaling all economic damages: You should be compensated for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and any other out-of-pocket costs arising from the accident.
Assessing non-economic damages: These damages include pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium
Consulting with medical experts: Medical experts can help you establish your long-term prognosis and future care costs, so you don’t have to worry about bills going unpaid in the future.
Considering Connecticut’s comparative fault rules. If you bear any partial responsibility, that must be factored into your case valuation, as it will reduce damages. For example, if you are 40% at fault and suffered $100,000 in damages, you can only recover $60,000 from the at-fault driver. If you are 0% at fault, you can potentially collect the whole $100,000, and if you are 60% at fault, you can’t recover compensation.

Demand Letter and Negotiation With the Insurance Company

The next step in the Connecticut personal injury case timeline is to actually begin negotiating with the insurance company. Insurers want to pay as little as they can, and you need to fight for fair compensation. One of the things you can expect from a personal injury lawyer is solid negotiating skills.

Kennedy, Johnson, Schwab & Roberge, P.C. has built a reputation with insurers for aggressive representation without backing down. Since insurers know we’ll go the distance, they may be more willing to make a fair settlement offer.

Still, a formal demand letter should come only after your attorney has investigated your claim and clearly established damages. Your attorney can send a demand letter to the at-fault party’s insurance company requesting an appropriate amount of funds based on your actual losses.

The demand letter typically includes the details needed to convince the defendant to make a fair settlement offer. This typically includes:

A summary of the facts establishing liability.
Documentation of all damages.
A demand for a specific settlement amount.

A demand letter helps get negotiations off on your terms so you can maximize the chances of getting fair compensation.

Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit (If Necessary)

If the defendant doesn’t make a fair settlement offer, the personal injury attorney process in Connecticut changes. Your attorney is no longer just negotiating a settlement. They have to file a lawsuit.

That’s why you need to make sure you hire trial-ready attorneys like those at Kennedy Johnson. We have experience in a courtroom and are ready to fight for you.

The first thing to note, though, is that filing a lawsuit does not guarantee your case will go to trial. Many cases settle after a lawsuit is filed but before the trial begins. Defendants may decide that they don’t want to take a chance of going to court after all, when they see you’re serious about suing.

In Connecticut, there is a two year state of limitations. You must act within the statute of limitations, or your case will be time-barred. This is true unless you fall within very limited exceptions, as the statute of limitations still applies even if you were negotiating before the deadline.

When your case goes to court, the steps typically include the following:

Filing the complaint: This means filing the official paperwork. Your attorney will take care of this for you, including stating the grounds for the complaint (a legal argument for why you can sue). The defendant will be served after you have filed (formally notified of the lawsuit).
Discovery: The discovery phase comes next. During this phase, you and the defendant exchange evidence to build your individual cases. Your attorney will request documents or interview witnesses to ensure you have clear evidence of liability.
Mediation or alternative dispute resolution: In some cases, you will work with a mediator to help you try to find a settlement, or you will need to pursue some other form of dispute resolution, such as arbitration rather than going to trial. These processes are different from a court case, but KJSR can still represent your interests and help you get the most favorable outcome possible.
Pre-trial motions: This involves asking the court to do specific things, like admit certain evidence or ask for certain evidence to be suppressed or not allowed to be presented.
Trial: Finally, your case goes to trial. Evidence is presented, witnesses are called, and eventually a decision is made.

Settlement or Verdict

If your case settles, then the insurer agrees to pay compensation for your losses. You’ll sign the paperwork and typically get the settlement money within 60 to 90 days, although the timeline could be shorter or longer.

If your case does not settle but goes to court instead, the judge or jury will decide on a verdict. The judge or jury will determine both if the defendant is liable and what damages you’re owed.

The defendant could choose to pay the damages awarded by the court, appeal the case, or do nothing, in which case you could go to court to try to force the collection of your funds.

What to Expect From KJSR Throughout Your Case

KJSR is the place to turn when you are hurt. As you learn about our firm, you’ll discover that our attorneys have won numerous awards, and have won millions of dollars for our clients.

It’s easy to see why you should choose KJSR. Specifically, we take a meticulous approach to case preparation and are dedicated to providing compassionate legal representation that emphasizes integrity, professionalism, and a commitment to justice.

We regularly handle complex claims, and our 35+ years of experience have given us the knowledge necessary to understand what it takes to fight and win for our clients.

Our Proven Personal Injury Results: Millions Recovered for Connecticut Clients

Every case is different, and past results don’t guarantee future performance. Still, our impressive history of top case results for clients shows we understand how to make legal arguments that help our clients get millions. Some of our past case outcomes that our attorneys have achieved include the following:

$2.75 Million Case Result: Personal Injury. Exposure to carbon monoxide resulting in traumatic brain injury.
$1.4 Million Case Result: Personal Injury. Negligent assault by a security guard in a medical facility resulting in substantial injuries.
$800,000 Case Result: Personal Injury. Settlement for boating accident which resulted in severe traumatic brain injury.
$800,000 Case Result: Personal Injury. Settlement for plaintiff who was a car driver in a severe motor vehicle accident.
$600,000 Case Result: Personal Injury. Settlement of an underinsured motorist claim for a motor vehicle accident with a tractor trailer resulting in a traumatic brain injury.
$495,000 Case Result: Personal Injury. Tree stump removal resulting in a partial leg amputation of the plaintiff.
$375,000 Case Result: Personal Injury. Grocery store employees negligently pushed a shopping cart into a 79-year-old woman, knocking her to the ground.
$270,000 Case Result: Personal Injury. Soft tissue neck injury.

Contact Our Connecticut Personal Injury Attorneys for a Free Consultation

Hiring a personal injury lawyer in Connecticut is a big step, and, understandably, you want to know exactly what a personal injury attorney does in Connecticut and what to expect from your attorney. The good news is that having an experienced legal team in your corner will make every step of navigating the justice system easier.

Kennedy, Johnson, Schwab & Roberge, P.C. has the experience and track record you need to feel confident your case is in good hands. You can check out testimonials from past clients and learn more about the compassionate advocacy we offer. To find out how we can help you, give us a call at 203-865-8430 or contact us online today to schedule your free consultation and learn more.

I had the privilege of being represented by Mr. John Kennedy. He was someone I could trust to be honest and walk me through a difficult time. Taylor, his paralegal, took the time to explain each circumstance that came about. I appreciate the work that was done by Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Nelligan. I would recommend Attorney John Kennedy because of his integrity and genuine concern he showed to me. My experience with them was something I will never forget and will always be thankful for.

Shannon E.

Remarkable law firm! Attorney John Kennedy and his staff were professional and welcoming. If you need a lawyer, stop looking, you’ve found one of the best! He never stopped fighting for me as if though it was personal to him too! He’s straight forward with everything and definitely didn’t disappoint me with an outcome greater than I expected! If I were an attorney in need of a lawyer, this is the man I’d want in my corner time and time again, without a doubt!

Sophie A.

Handled my case with amazing expertise from start to finish. I took their advice at every turn and the end result was nothing less of exceptional. Very professional, nice office space and their Long Wharf location validates parking.

Nate H.