An Employee’s Pocket Guide To Connecticut Workers ...

1 An Employee's Pocket Guide To Connecticut Workers ' Compensation (If You Are Injured On Your Job). Published by the State of Connecticut Workers ' Compensation Commission, John A. Mastropietro, Chairman The Connecticut Workers ' Compensation System .. What To Do If You Are Injured On The Job covers almost all employees, including minors, non-citizens, and part-time employees, regardless of occupation, business size, Report your injury to your employer duration of employment, or number of hours worked per day immediately. They should provide you with medical (except for those working around a private home for not treatment and should file a First Report of more than twenty-six hours per week); Injury Form with their Workers '.

2 Compensation insurance carrier and with is a no-fault system of insurance in which private insurers the Workers ' Compensation Commission. or self-insured employers pay benefits to an injured employee, Your delay in reporting your injury even if the accident was the employee's fault or the employee was increases the chance that it may be born with a medical condition which predisposed him or her to the disputed. injury or increased its severity; Get prompt medical attention. Your employer should send you to the is designed to help Workers injured on the job or with an company medical facility, a walk-in clinic, occupational disease by providing all necessary medical a hospital, or a designated physician for treatment; weekly benefits while disabled; vocational your initial medical treatment, as soon as rehabilitation, if necessary; and additional benefits for possible after you are injured.

3 (Effective scarring, disfigurement, and permanent physical impairment; March 25, 1993, your employer or your employer's Workers ' compensation gives coverage that cannot be signed away, except (a) by insurance carrier may establish a medical officers of a corporation or partners operating partnerships who care plan to provide medical treatment for Workers ' compensation claimants.) If your request in writing to be excluded from coverage or (b) as the result employer has a designated medical of a stipulated settlement of an individual claim that is approved by provider, you must accept such initial a Commissioner; treatment.

4 (See Choice of Physician . under the list of benefits on page 3.). denies compensation for certain injuries, such as those resulting from substance or alcohol abuse; File an official claim as soon as possible. Filing this written notice of claim puts establishes a system of Commissioners who hold hearings to your claim on record. A 30C Form is best for this purpose and is available from any resolve disputes in Workers ' compensation cases; and District Office or the Workers ' Com- provides free self-help informational materials: publications, pensation Commission's Education Services.

5 The statute of limitations for an informative website ( ) and information via filing a compensation claim for an a toll-free WATS telephone line (1-800-223-WORK). accidental injury is one year from the date of the injury, while for an occupational This publication is meant to provide basic information only. Additional benefits disease it is three years from the first may be available. More detailed information is available, FREE, from manifestation of a symptom. If your your local Workers ' Compensation District Office (see page 4) employer wants to dispute your claim, you or you may call Education Services at 1-800-223-WORK.

6 Must receive official written notice of a (continued on page 2). Revised 7-10 Page 1. (continued from page 1). you of your right to an attorney. In most Workers ' compensation fraud, call the cases, attorneys' fees will be a percentage Workers ' Compensation Fraud Unit at denial (describing the reason(s) for it) or of your settlement. Any questions about (860) 258-5800. your employer must begin making work- attorneys' fees should be directed to a Com- ers' compensation payments without missioner in the District Office. prejudice within 28 calendar days. Benefits Under The Contact your employer's Workers ' The Commissioner Connecticut Workers '.

7 Compensation insurance carrier, if you Compensation Act don't get a benefit check within two A Commissioner is a quasi-judicial offi- weeks of becoming disabled. cial who presides as an impartial mediator [Numbers cited indicate the section(s) of the Workers '. To start payments, the insurance carrier at Informal, Formal and Appellate hearings, Compensation Act, Connecticut General Statutes, or where he or she serves to resolve disputes the state's Administrative Regulations.]. needs the First Report of Injury Form and a wage statement from your employer, a or misunderstandings in Workers ' compen- sation cases.

8 A commissioner functions Day of Injury Covered [31-295] You medical report from your physician should receive your full pay for the day of confirming that your injury is work-related within the state's Workers ' compensation system similarly to how a judge functions occurrence of your injury. and that you are disabled by it, and also needs to know your federal tax filing status within the state's judicial system. By stat- Temporary Total Disability [31-307] . and the number of exemptions shown on ute, a commissioner is nominated by the Temporary Total (TT) Disability benefits your federal tax return.

9 If only the wage Governor and appointed by the General are essentially wage replacement benefits statement is missing, the carrier can Assembly, and must have been a member which are paid by your employer's work- usually send an advance payment until it in good standing of the Connecticut bar for ers' compensation insurance carrier while comes in. at least five years before his or her nomi- you are unable to perform any type of work nation. due to your work-related injury or illness. TT benefits begin on the fourth calendar What To Do If Your Claim Is Voluntary Agreements day of disability from work, but if the dis- Contested A Voluntary Agreement is your employer's ability lasts for seven or more calendar days, payment will be made retroactively If your employer disputes your claim, you acceptance of your claim and their agree- to cover all the days of disability from will need to prove that your injury or dis- ment to provide you Workers ' compensa- work.

10 (The day of an injury is not counted ease is work-related by producing evi- tion benefits. This agreement contains im- as a day of disability from work.). dence at an Informal Hearing (such as portant information about your claim and For injuries/illnesses occurring before Oc- medical reports and statements by wit- should be issued in every case in which an tober 1, 1991, weekly TT benefits are equal nesses) to back up your claim. If your injured or ill employee receives Workers '. to two-thirds (2/3) of your gross average claim is denied, you should request an compensation payments.