SC20319- Coughlin v. Stamford Fire Dept. (Denial of benefits pursuant to General § 7-433c (a); “On appeal, the defendant asserts that the board incorrectly determined that the plaintiff’s heart disease claim was timely because, at the time of his diagnosis and disability, the plaintiff had retired as a firefighter and was no longer employed by the defendant. Additionally, the defendant asserts that a claim for a new injury of heart disease cannot be established on the basis of its causal relationship to the plaintiff’s initial compensable claim for hypertension because § 7-433c mandates that hypertension and heart disease be treated as separate and distinct injuries. The plaintiff responds that his heart disease claim was timely because it flowed from his compensable claim for hypertension, and neither a plain reading of § 7-433c nor this court’s interpretation of that statute requires hypertension and heart disease to be treated as separate diseases when they are causally related. We agree with the plaintiff and, accordingly, affirm the decision of the board").

SC20244- Dickerson v. Stamford (“On appeal, the defendant asserts that the board incorrectly determined that the commissioner had jurisdiction over the plaintiff’s claim because, at the time of his diagnosis and disability, the plaintiff had retired and was no longer a uniformed member of the Stamford Police Department (department). Furthermore, the defendant asserts that a claim for a new injury of heart disease cannot be established on the basis of its causal relationship to the plaintiff’s initial compensable claim for hypertension because § 7-433c mandates that hypertension and heart disease be treated as separate and distinct injuries. Therefore, the defendant claims, the plaintiff was required to give a separate, timely notice of his heart disease claim within one year of his diagnosis. The plaintiff responds that the jurisdictional prerequisites of § 7-433c were met and that his heart disease claim was timely because it flowed from his compensable claim for hypertension, and neither a plain reading of § 7-433c nor this court’s interpretation of that statute requires hypertension and heart disease to be treated as separate diseases when they are causally related…The plaintiff responds that the long-standing substantial factor standard that applies to subsequent injury claims brought under the Workers’ Compensation Act (act), General Statutes § 31-275 et seq., also applies to his claim. We agree with the plaintiff and, accordingly, affirm the decision of the board”).