5401 CRB-1-08-11 (2009). CAMP v. STATE OF CONNECTICUT CAPITAL COMMUNITY TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

• Court: Connecticut

Connecticut Workers Compensation 2009. 5401 CRB-1-08-11 (2009). CAMP v. STATE OF CONNECTICUT CAPITAL COMMUNITY TECHNICAL COLLEGE CASE NO. 5401 CRB-1-08-11COMPENSATION REVIEW BOARD WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION NOVEMBER 17, 2009DARRYL CAMP CLAIMANT-APPELLEE v. STATE OF CONNECTICUT CAPITAL COMMUNITY TECHNICAL COLLEGE EMPLOYER SELF-INSURED RESPONDENT-APPELLANT and GAB ROBINS OF NORTH AMERICA ADMINISTRATORAPPEARANCES: The claimant was represented by Jan P. van der Werff, Esq., Law Offices of Jan P. van der Werff, One Barnard Lane, Bloomfield, CT 06002. The respondent was represented by Lawrence G. Widem, Esq., Assistant Attorney General, 55 Elm Street, P.O. Box 120, Hartford, CT 06141-0120. This Petition for Review from the November 7, 2008 Finding and Award of the Commissioner acting for the First District was heard May 29, 2009 before a Compensation Review Board panel consisting of the Commission Chairman John A. Mastropietro and Commissioners Randy L. Cohen and Stephen B. Delaney.OPINION JOHN A. MASTROPIETRO, CHAIRMAN. The respondent in this matter has appealed from a Finding and Award granting the claimant temporary total disability benefits. The respondent argues that the trial commissioner should not have awarded such benefits to the claimant, asserting the facts presented in evidence did not support this relief. On appeal, we find the claimant did proffer medical evidence that he was totally disabled. When considered in conjunction with the claimant's inability to perform his prior job, we find a sufficient basis existed for the trial commissioner to award benefits under § 31-307 C.G.S. We affirm the Finding and Award and dismiss this appeal.The trial commissioner reached the following findings of fact at the conclusion of the formal hearing. The commissioner found the claimant has been employed for approximately 20 years at Capital Community College as a Buildings and Grounds Patrol Officer, and had been a Lead Patrol Officer for the past ten years. On June 27, 2007 the claimant fell down on a ramp in the parking garage, injuring his back and head. He was taken by ambulance to St. Francis Hospital emergency room. Following the fall the claimant suffered from lower right back pain, pain in his right leg, a lump on the back of his head, neck pain and lower left hand pain. After treating at the emergency room the claimant began treating with Dr. Richard Harrison-Atlas, who temporarily totally disabled the claimant and prescribed pain medications and physical therapy. On July 17, 2007 an MRI was performed on the claimant at Dr. Harrison-Atlas's direction. The test indicated a disc bulge at L5-S1 with the potential to impinge on the right-sided exiting L5 nerve root. Subsequent to the MRI, the claimant continued to experience "sharp pain to my lower right side of my back that would shoot pains down to my right leg, about down to the knee." The claimant testified to suffering similar pain "in the exact same area" he had been experiencing following the accident, stating such pain "seems to be everyday for me." Dr. Harrison-Atlas referred the claimant to a neurosurgeon, Dr. Stephan...