Recent Blog Posts
California Judge Finds Uber, Lyft Drivers Are “Employees” Entitled to Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Virtually every employee in Connecticut is covered by workers’ compensation. The critical word here is “employee.” As a general rule, individuals who operate as “independent contractors” are not considered employees of the businesses they perform work for. So if you are a freelancer, for example, you are not covered by your client’s workers’ compensation… Read More »
What Happens if a Connecticut Employer Fails to Respond to a Workers’ Compensation Claim?
The first step in obtaining workers’ compensation benefits is to actually file a claim. Specifically, an employee must file a Form 30C with their employer and the Workers’ Compensation Commission. This form provides basic details regarding the claimed injury. Once the employer receives the Form 30C, it then has 28 days to file its… Read More »
What Happens When a Connecticut Employer Allows Their Workers’ Compensation Insurance to Expire?
Most Connecticut employers rely on workers’ compensation insurance to pay any benefits owed to injured workers. If the employer does not have such insurance, that certainly does not relieve them of their obligation to the injured employee. Not only is the employer personally liable for such benefits, but the business itself may face additional… Read More »
Governor Lamont Extends Workers’ Compensation Coverage to Workers Who Contracted COVID-19
Following months of public calls to take such action, Gov. Ned Lamont finally issued an executive order on July 24 to help workers who contracted COVID-19 while on the job obtain workers’ compensation benefits. The governor’s order–known as Executive Order No. 7JJJ–creates what is known in the law as a “rebuttable presumption.” This means… Read More »
Can I Sue My Employer Even If I Received Workers’ Compensation Benefits?
You often hear that workers’ compensation provides an “exclusive remedy” for employees injured on the job. But what exactly does this mean? Essentially, the State of Connecticut has decided that workplace injuries should be subject to workers’ compensation rather than traditional tort litigation. In other words, you cannot sue your employer for causing the… Read More »
Can I Choose My Own Doctor and Still Receive CT Workers’ Compensation Benefits?
Workers’ compensation law requires your employer to pay for any “necessary and appropriate medical treatment” arising from a work-related accident or injury. But does this mean your employer has to pay any medical bills that you present? Or does the employer have a say in who actually provides you with medical care. Basically, when… Read More »
How Different Types of CT Workers’ Compensation Benefits Require Different Types of Proof
There are several different types of workers’ compensation benefits available under Connecticut law. For example, there are temporary partial disability benefits, which apply to an employee who is able to return to some type of work, but not the same exact job or hours as before their injury or illness. In other cases, an… Read More »
Are the Results of a “Commissioner’s Exam” Binding in a Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Case?
When seeking workers’ compensation benefits, the doctors hired by your employer may disagree with your own physician’s diagnosis regarding the cause of your injury or illness. If this disagreement persists into a formal hearing, the Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Commissioner can ask you to submit to a separate exam by an independent third doctor. This… Read More »
Federal Legislation Could Provide Compensation for COVID-19 Front-line Workers
Even as Connecticut officials face increasing calls to extend workers’ compensation benefits to individuals caught on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, members of Congress have taken the first steps towards establishing a nationwide fund to help essential employees. On May 15, legislators introduced the Pandemic Heroes Compensation Act in the U.S. Senate… Read More »
Lawmakers, Labor Leaders Call on Gov. Lamont to Expand Workers’ Compensation Protections to COVID-19 Victims
Even with unprecedented “social distancing” measures in place, many Connecticut workers still face daily exposure to the deadly COVID-19 virus. Indeed, as of April 22, there have been more than 64,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases–and over 1,400 associated deaths– in Connecticut alone, This has prompted calls from state lawmakers and labor leaders to ensure that… Read More »