Civilian Engineer’s Alleged Rape Aboard Navy Ship Ruled a Workers’ Comp Matter
- A judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by a civilian engineer with the Navy’s Military Sealift Command, after the Labor Department determined her alleged 2021 rape aboard the USNS Carson City by the ship’s captain must be handled as a Federal Employees’ Compensation Act claim since it occurred while she was in a temporary travel status for work.
- The engineer’s attorney argued the ruling improperly treats a sexual assault the same as routine workplace injuries like a dislocated shoulder from a ship’s roll, saying “that is very different from being raped in your sleep in your bed” and “should not be workers’ comp.”
- Dominguez took a year of unpaid leave to recover, during which her health insurance paused and she struggled to access consistent therapy due to state licensing restrictions limiting where military-referred providers could treat her. Her alleged attacker, meanwhile, continued receiving pay while under investigation.
- Coast Guard prosecutors filed a sexual misconduct complaint against the ship’s captain, in February 2025, but the criminal case was later withdrawn after he surrendered his merchant mariner credentials.
Abatement Owner Charged with Failure to Secure Coverage
- Dave Denbow, owner of All-Pro Abatement LLC in Bridgeport, Conn., was charged with noncompliance with insurance requirements after an investigation found the company lacked a valid workers’ compensation insurance policy at the time an employee was injured in a workplace incident in West Haven.
- The charge is punishable by one to five years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine.
- Denbow surrendered to authorities in Rocky Hill on August 21 and was released on a $5,000 non-surety bond.
- He is scheduled to appear at Milford Superior Court on Aug. 31.
Police Officer Charged With Workers’ Comp Fraud
- A Norwich, Conn. police officer was arrested Aug. 25 and charged with second-degree larceny over allegedly filing a fraudulent workers’ compensation benefits claim, according to state prosecutors.
- The charges stem from a knee injury the officer reported in February 2026 after allegedly hurting himself pushing his patrol vehicle out of the snow, which led the City of Norwich to place him on temporary partial disability leave, a benefit requiring recipients to report outside income and any improvement in their condition.
- Investigators allege that in March, another doctor cleared the officer without restrictions to take a police officer standards and training physical agility exam which he then took and passed while applying to another police department. He took the test, which included a 300-meter sprint, a 1.5-mile run, sit-ups, and push-ups, while remaining out of work and continuing to collect workers’ compensation benefits from Norwich.
- He surrendered at the Rocky Hill Police Department and was released on a $10,000 non-surety bond.