How the Connecticut system works
Nearly all Connecticut employers must carry coverage, administered by the state's Workers' Compensation Commission through district offices, with disputes heard by administrative law judges. Connecticut's wage formula is also unusual — benefits pay 75% of your after-tax (take-home) wages rather than two-thirds of gross — which often lands in a similar place but is calculated very differently.
Every deadline that matters
| What | Deadline | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Report to your employer | Immediately | Same-day written notice — it starts care and creates the record. |
| File a Form 30C (written notice of claim) | 1 year from the injury (3 years for occupational disease) | The formal claim — precise about your name, the date, the body parts, and where it's sent. Done right, it starts the 28-day preclusion clock below. |
| Exceptions | Varies | A timely medical-care furnish or voluntary agreement can satisfy the claim requirement in some cases — but the Form 30C removes all doubt. |
The 28-day preclusion rule
Once a proper Form 30C is filed and served, the employer/insurer has 28 days to either start paying (which preserves its right to contest for a period) or file a Form 43 disclaimer stating exactly what it disputes and why. Miss that window with neither, and the employer can be precluded — barred from contesting that the injury is compensable at all. Preclusion is one of the most worker-favorable rules in American workers' comp, and it only works if your Form 30C is filled out precisely and delivered correctly (certified mail to the employer and the Commission is standard). Sloppy forms lose the shield.
Doctor rules
Initial treatment typically starts with a provider the employer designates; after that first visit, you generally choose your treating physician — from the approved medical-provider framework, or the employer's plan if a certified one exists. The treating doctor's opinions carry real weight, and changing doctors later usually needs administrative approval. As everywhere: precise causation language on day one, every visit connected to the claim.
The benefits
| Benefit | What it pays |
|---|---|
| Medical care | All reasonable and necessary treatment, plus mileage to appointments. |
| Temporary Total | 75% of after-tax average weekly wage, within state caps. |
| Temporary Partial | A percentage of the gap when you're earning less on light duty. |
| Permanent Partial | Scheduled weeks by body part and percentage after MMI — Connecticut's schedule covers organs and systems most states skip. |
| Discretionary & survivor benefits | Additional post-specific benefits can be awarded in some cases; survivor and burial benefits. |
How Connecticut disputes get resolved
- 1
Informal hearing
A short conference with an administrative law judge — many disputes resolve here with a recommendation.
- 2
Pre-formal and formal hearing
Escalating structure; the formal hearing is the full evidentiary trial with a written decision.
- 3
Appeals
To the Compensation Review Board, then the Appellate Court. Voluntary agreements and stipulated settlements need Commission approval.
Free official help
- Connecticut Workers' Compensation Commission — district offices, forms (30C and all), and hearing scheduling: wcc.state.ct.us.
- Education services — the Commission publishes plain-language guides and holds information sessions for injured workers.
Preclusion questions (both building them and defending against Form 43s), disputed causation, PPD ratings, and all stipulated settlements. Fees are capped percentages subject to approval; consultations typically free — and a lawyer who spots a preclusion opportunity can change a case's entire posture.