Sen. Kissel: “Clearly we have a problem in Connecticut with our claims system.”
March 21, 2023Claims commissioner nominee will face mountain of backlogged claims against the state
CT Inside Investigator
March 20, 2023
Robert F. Shea Jr. faced members of the Judiciary Committee during a public hearing over his nomination by Gov. Ned Lamont to take over the Office of the Claims Commissioner, a very back-logged office in charge of determining whether a legal claim filed against the state of Connecticut can see its day in court.
The office has been underwater for years, resulting in a massive backlog of cases that leaves claimants stuck in limbo for years waiting to see if their claim can go to court or be denied by the office, leaving them with little recourse.
“Clearly we have a problem in Connecticut with our claims system,” Sen. John Kissel, R-Enfield, said to Shea following his statement to the committee. “There’s a mountain of backlog, there’s people that are extremely frustrated, their faith and confidence in the State of Connecticut is gone. The reputation we have for justice as the defendant in these claims, as a state, is terrible.”
“There are areas in our state where we excel, this is just not one of them,” Kissel said.
