CRB Case Annotations re: Section 31-297a
Informal Hearings.
Costa v. United Nuclear Corp., 16 Conn. Workers’ Comp. Rev. Op. 101, 2296 CRB-2-95-1
(November 20, 1996).
Commissioner is authorized to make recommendations at an informal hearing that
shall be reduced to writing and, if accepted by parties, made binding as an
award. Although proceeding in question was actually a formal hearing, commissioner
at hearing testified that § 31-297a most closely approximated his authority
to make agreement. Claimant argued that the resulting agreement had no effect
under Act, but board disagreed. As long as claimant understood its nature and
scope, the commissioner had authority to memorialize that agreement as a binding
stipulation. Fact that hearing was formal rather than informal did not prevent
document from taking legal effect. See also Costa, §
31-315 and Rules of
Professional Conduct.
