Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-298
Both parties may appear at any hearing, either in person or by attorney or other accredited representative, and no formal pleadings shall be required, beyond any informal notices that the commission approves. In all cases and hearings under the provisions of this chapter, the administrative law judge shall proceed, so far as possible, in accordance with the rules of equity. He shall not be bound by the ordinary common law or statutory rules of evidence or procedure, but shall make inquiry, through oral testimony, deposition testimony or written and printed records, in a manner that is best calculated to ascertain the substantial rights of the parties and carry out the provisions and intent of this chapter. No fees shall be charged to either party by the administrative law judge in connection with any hearing or other procedure, but the administrative law judge shall furnish at cost (1) certified copies of any testimony, award or other matter which may be of record in his office, and (2) duplicates of audio recordings of any formal hearings. Witnesses subpoenaed by the administrative law judge shall be allowed the fees and traveling expenses that are allowed in civil actions, to be paid by the party in whose interest the witnesses are subpoenaed. When liability or extent of disability is contested by formal hearing before the administrative law judge, the claimant shall be entitled, if he prevails on final judgment, to payment for oral testimony or deposition testimony rendered on his behalf by a competent physician, surgeon or other medical provider, including the stenographic and videotape recording costs thereof, in connection with the claim, the administrative law judge to determine the reasonableness of such charges.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-298
(1949 Rev., S. 7447; 1958 Rev., S. 31-174; 1961, P.A. 491, S. 20; 1967, P.A. 242; 842, S. 8; 1971, P.A. 521; P.A. 85-65; P.A. 91-32 , S. 17 , 41 ; P.A. 93-228 , S. 11 , 35 ; P.A. 97-106 .)
Admissions by insurance adjuster may be accepted by commissioner. 93 C. 295 . Conduct of hearing. 94 C. 9 . Burden of proof is on claimant; but may be sustained by reasonable inferences as well as by direct testimony. 95 C. 43 . Declarations by decedent. 98 C. 649 . Procedure simple and without pleadings. 106 C. 9 . Conclusions reached by superintendent at an immediate investigation. Id., 252. Claimant held not to have had an adequate hearing. 107 C. 457 . Evidence which commissioner may accept; findings, to be open to attack, must be unreasonable to justify judicial interference. 109 C. 62 . Cited. 114 C. 29 . Commissioner not bound by rules of evidence. 116 Conn. 297 ; 122 C. 360 ; 133 C. 667 . Evidence that workers in other factories under substantially same conditions do not contract disease is admissible. 118 Conn. 29 . Commissioner judge when conflicting medical testimony presented. 123 C. 405 ; 130 C. 455 ; 131 C. 484 . Evidence as to extent of incapacity from susceptibility to dermatitis necessary to finding of commissioner. 125 C. 140 . Commissioner judge of fact. 128 C. 621 . Burden of proof rests on claimant. 130 Conn. 1 . Cited. 132 Conn. 172 ; 135 C. 504 ; 136 C. 345 . Commissioner not bound by rules of evidence. 138 C. 53 . While finding or conclusion of commissioner based on conflicting medical opinions cannot be disturbed, such finding cannot be based on incompetent medical testimony to which objection was seasonably made. 149 C. 118 . Opinion of physician based wholly or partly on statements and symptoms related to him by patient on personal examination is inadmissible where examination was made for purpose of qualifying physician to testify as medical expert. Id., 119. Cited. 159 Conn. 302 ; 165 Conn. 338 ; 199 C. 667 ; 213 Conn. 54 ; 226 Conn. 508 ; 237 Conn. 1 . Section addresses the conduct of hearings; does not provide commissioner with any specific jurisdiction over particular types of claims or questions. 248 Conn. 754 . Commissioner has authority to dismiss claim without a hearing on the merits in an appropriate case. 254 C. 60 . A commissioner, in managing complex multiparty cases, has the authority under section to dismiss a claim provisionally, and then if necessary, reinstate the dismissed party into the proceedings prior to a final determination of the compensability of the claim and the apportionment of any liability under Sec. 31-299b . 323 C. 720 . Cited. 29 Conn.App. 249 ; 40 Conn.App. 278 . Commissioners not bound by Daubert standard in determining whether to admit scientific testimony; establishing formal requirements for admissibility of scientific testimony in workers' compensation cases is contrary to spirit of statute. 48 CA 774 . Equitable requirements of section do not apply to scheduling of hearings and notice to parties, matters that are specifically addressed in Sec. 31-297 . 66 CA 332 . Cited. 3 8 Conn.Supp. 331 .
See Sec. 52-260 re witness fees.