Legal Question in Workers Comp in Connecticut

Systematically Eliminated

I am in a supervisory role/hourly position. I reported an alcohol related incident to my manager. She stated she had no reason to reprimand this person due to only hear-say and ''she personally knows this person and he is not this way''. A few days later I was injured on the job, and still out of work. The day I was injured my manager tried to write me up for things the person I reported, accussed me of, this happended after I returned to the office from the hospital and was off-duty by doctors orders. Yesterday I was called

by my asst. mgr and was told to turn in my keys and my pager. I found out today the company is selling this property. Should I retain an attorney? What case if any do I have? Please help if you can.


Asked on 4/01/03, 4:06 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Gregory Cantwell Law Office of Jefferson D. Jelly

Re: Systematically Eliminated

You have raised a number of different issues. If you were injured at work and if your employer is not contesting the claim, you are entitled to a variety of benefits including payment of medical bills, lost wages (according to a formula), and benefits for any permanent injury you are left with. There are other benefits, but these are the major ones. The system is supposed to be receptive to claimants pursuing their claims without attorneys, but it is becoming increasingly difficult for people to do this on their own. Make sure your claim has been filed using a Form 30C. Make sure that the workers comp. carrier is paying for your med. bills and not your health carrier. Make sure calculations of your wage benefits and workers compensation rate are correct. If all of this is going along half way decently, you may want to wait and seek an attorney when your employer or the workers comp. carrier starts to get nasty or things get too confusing.

An employer cannot fire a person for making a workers compensation claim. Most employers are smart enough to disguise their intent and end up papering a person's file so that they fire you for another claimed reason. That may be what is happening to you. If so, it is a violation of 31-290a and you may seek a remedy in the workers comp. forum or in court. The damages differ in each. An employer is not required to keep an injured worker who cannot perform their normal work, but it sounds like you can return to work. Your employer may also claim that it is downsizing since the "property" is being sold. The next question would be are they only letting you go. Many different variables.

Hope this helps.

Greg Cantwell

(860)232-9999

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Answered on 4/02/03, 12:44 pm


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