Connecticut Voices for Civil Justice

The New Britain Herald wrote up a story today on a woman who was arrested for defrauding the workers’ compensation system. Evidently, she forged medical documents that ended up giving her a windfall of $2,000.
While I won’t doubt the existence of fraudulent workers’ compensation claims, it is ridiculous to even look at this woman […]

The Atlanta Journal Constitution ($) covered a great story in February on the rising rates of injuries among the Latino community.
At a time when overall workplace fatalities are dipping, deaths for Hispanics rose 13.6 percent in 2004 and nearly 2 percent more in 2005, the most recent number available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor […]

The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting an interesting story that has injured workers demanding taped medical exams when visiting the doctor that helps decide whether or not they receive workers’ compensation.
“We hear patient horror stories, of things which happened to them in insurers’ medical exams, things that the doctors said that weren’t so, tests they […]

This bit just in from OSHA:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has identified and sent letters to more than 14,000 workplaces with the highest occupational injury and illness rates and is urging the employers to take action to remove hazards causing the high rates.
OSHA actually sent 14,200 letters, which would […]

The bill that was passed in New York on Tuesday will reportedly lower business workers’ compensation costs by $1 billion while also increasing injured workers maximum and minimum weekly benefits.
“The bill reflects an agreement announced just a week ago by the Senate, the Assembly and Governor Eliot Spitzer, along with labor and business leaders.”
It will […]

Read Todd’s story: 
My name is Todd McCann, and I started working at Automatic Comfort about 27 years ago in East Hartford, CT.
In 2005, I injured my shoulder at work. I had surgery, and then my doctor returned me to work on light duty. I returned to work on my normal shift, which runs from 6:00 […]

Yesterday, February 13, the Labor and Public Employees Committee passed SB 847, which would provide commissioners with the flexibility to grant discretionary 31-308a benefits to the most severely injured workers for lost wages due to permanent injury.
What are 31-308a benefits? Click here to find out.
This is the second priority bill we have seen move […]

On January 9, 2007, the Labor and Public Employees Committee held an informational hearing on workers’ compensation issues. Commissioner John Matropietro appeared with very interesting testimony, while Attorney Bob Sheldon represented the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association.
Click here for the full transcript.

The Labor and Public Employees Committee heard testimony this week regarding S.B. 153. This bill would provide benefits to workers who are scarred and disfigured on the job–for all parts of the body. As the law stands now, workers can only claim benefits for scars appearing on the head, hands, or neck.
Joe Atkinson […]

On Tuesday, January 30, the Labor and Public Employees Committee held a public hearing on 18 workers’ compensation bills. The Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association had several attorneys come and testify. The committee should be voting on the bills soon.
Read the testimony of attorneys Frank Costello, Chris Grotz, Nathan Shafner, and Bob Sheldon.

Attorney Nathan […]