In my practice I frequently receive calls from federal employees who have experienced on the job injuries and need advice about what to do next. As with anything in the Federal Government, it all starts with the filing of a form.
Most work injuries fall into two categories, traumatic injuries and occupational diseases. If you were injured due to a one-time accident at work (e.g. slip and fall), then you have suffered a traumatic injury and should file Form CA-1. If you were injured during a series of work shifts (e.g. carpal tunnel from repetitive actions), then you have suffered an occupational disease and will need to file Form CA-2. If you were previously injured and then re-injured yourself in the same area, this is considered a traumatic injury and a new claim
Form CA-1 should be filed. If you were previously injured, and then without any intervening act began suffering the same symptoms of your original injury, then you have suffered a recurrence and should file a Form CA-2a.
Injured federal workers should be mindful that there is a three-year deadline to submit these forms. For traumatic injuries, that means three years from the date of the injury. For occupational disease claims, the deadline is three years from the date the worker became aware, or reasonably should have been aware, that the medical condition was caused by work. If you continue to be exposed to the work-related factor causing injury, then the three-year deadline is based upon your last date of exposure.
If your Agency is one that has already opted to submit information electronically, via the Employees' Compensation Operations and Management Portal (ECOMP), then you can register for an account and submit these forms electronically to initiate a claim.
If you are a federal government employee who would like assistance with your federal workers compensation claim please contact our office online or via telephone at (301) 869-8774 to schedule a consultation.
This blog is not intended to provide legal advice or representation, but rather to provide very general information regarding a variety of subject areas. The viewing of the information contained on this blog does not create or establish an attorney-client relationship. Further, this information should not be relied upon without first consulting with an attorney regarding your specific situation.