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REP.
LAWLOR: Are there any other questions? If not,
thank
you very much.
Next Bonnie Jukowski.
Go ahead, Bonnie.
BONNIE
JUKOWSKI: Thank you. Good afternoon. My name
is
Bonnie Tskowski.
I'm a trooper first class with
the
Connecticut State Police
Department. I've been
a
member of the Connecticut
State Police Department
for
the past ten and a half
years.
Like
my colleagues who
testified earlier, I was
also
injured attempting to
apprehend a felony
suspect.
On December
3, 1991, while in pursuit of
a
vehicle whose occupants
were wanted for burglary,
my
cruiser became involved
in a motor vehicle
accident.
When a
passing motorist failed to yield
to
my audible warning the
flashing lights, the
impact
forced my cruiser to
spin and slide out of
control.
My cruiser
struck a large tree and two
telephone
poles.
The
burglary suspects were
able to allude capture.
I,
however, was not able to
allude injury.
Initially
I was diagnosed
with cervical and
trapezoidal
strain.
After several months of
treatment
and additional
testing, I was diagnosed
with
a herniated cervical
disc. Six months after
the
motor vehicle accident,
I underwent surgery to
remove
the herniated disc
and also had a cervical
fusion.
Ten months
have now passed since the
surgery.
I continue to
suffer from complications.
I
have diagnosed with a
condition called "thoracic
outlet
syndrome".
This
condition causes a
nerve to be compressed
between
my clavicle and my
first rib. I continue
to
have pain, numbness and
weakness to my neck,
right
shoulder, right upper
quadrant, right rib
cage,
right arm and right
hand, my strong hand.
Because
of my current
physical condition, I am
unable
to return to full law
enforcement duties,
let
alone a light duty
assignment.
In
addition to the physical
complications, this on
duty
motor vehicle accident
caused personal
complications.
Forty
days prior to the motor
vehicle
accident, I was
married. During the past
15
months of my injury, the
one constant thing in
my
life has been the
workman's compensation
benefits.
Being a
newlywed, my husband and I have
not
had to endure any
financial complications. The
physical
and personal
complications have been
enough.
As
a state trooper, I always
served the state of
Connecticut
and its citizens
with 100% of my
effort.
That effort
was displayed on December 3,
1991.
The plea to the
labor committee members for
100%
of their support.
A reduction in our
hazardous
duty workman's
comp benefits would send a
clear
message to all law
enforcement officers that
80%
of your support will
reduce to 80% of our
effort.
Thank you.
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