NEW BRITAIN — Police union officials are calling on city leaders to revamp the worker’s compensation process after an officer who attempted to save the life of a 10-year-old boy waited a month for an explanation of his claim.

Officer Frank Barbagiovanni’s frustration with not receiving a timely response from the city led him to contact the media, which, coupled with the details of his attempt to save the boy’s life, brought a firestorm of attention Friday on City Hall.

Barbagiovanni arrived at a call for help in November to find a woman begging him to save the life of her son, who wasn’t breathing. Barbagiovanni’s actions giving the boy CPR were heroic, Police Chief William Gagliardi said Friday. Despite the officer’s efforts, however, the boy later died.

Barbagiovanni is wondering why it took him going to the media to get the city to explain why it denied his worker’s compensation claim. He contends the explanation by the city is that CPR is not a work-related function and therefore is not covered as part of any claim.

He said the claim he filed was meant to notify officials that he had potentially been exposed to communicable diseases while trying to save the boy, who vomited as Barbagiovanni was treating him.

“I’d do the same thing again, but next time I just have to go straight to the mayor’s office to make sure I’m covered,” he said Friday, minutes after meeting with union officials and Mayor Timothy O’Brien about the denied claim.

City officials said Friday that Barbagiovanni has not suffered any job-related injury so there was simply no need to file a claim.

The form he received from city attorney Seth Feigenbaum indicated he had been denied based on there was “no medical evidence that (he) sustained an injury arising out of, or in, the course of employment” by being exposed to bodily fluids. The form also said the city will pay for any medical testing.

Barbagiovanni was also concerned that if he became sick at any point in time, the city wouldn’t stand by him. His most recent medical tests were negative.

“What I got from the letter was that you weren’t supposed to do that,” he said. “What do I do if it happens again? I mean what would you do if I were called to your home, what would you do if I just stood there?”

The six-year veteran of the department penned a letter to the mayor, the police chief, the Police Commission and Feigenbaum last month over the denial of his claim.

Sherwood said O’Brien had told city attorneys to respond to Barbagiovanni’s questions in a timely fashion. But Sherwood concedes that never happened.

“The officer did everything correctly, he’s a quintessential public servant who got life-saving training and used it properly,” Sherwood said. “Police and fireman need to know if they get injured while performing life-saving duties, the city will have their back.”

Sherwood stressed that performing CPR is considered a responsibility of police and that Barbagiovanni “did everything by the book, we should be thankful we have people like that” working in the city.

City Corporation Counsel John King said the denial of Barbagiovanni’s claim does not preclude him from filing a claim in the future if he does become sick.

He would have to demonstrate that the illness or injury was caused during the course of his work-related duties, he said. “I think everyone would agree that CPR is a work-related duty for a police officer.” 

Barbagiovanni received an apology from the mayor Friday.

“The problem was in Frank’s case there was no visible injury,” police union President John Gonzalez said. “It was a possible exposure. There was no injury yet. They probably need to send something else with it (the denial) or reach out to the guy filing the claim so they understand what it means.”