Federal workers who either suffer a permanent injury or fall sick due to occupational exposure may be eligible for early semi-retirement under FERS disability benefits compensation. This is a program overseen by the OPM or Office of Personnel Management, and it seeks to compensate these individuals by way of a monthly stipend that will help them take care of their living expenses, the cost of ongoing and rehabilitative treatment, and anything else that can help improve their wellbeing as they wait out and see if their condition gets better, stagnates or gets worse. Most individuals who apply for and are approved for FERS disability benefits often also receive Social Security disability insurance or SSDI, and these two forms of benefits can go a long way in ensuring that your financial obligations are met for as long as you are unable to work. That said, these two benefits are vastly different, and there are some pitfalls that may either cause you to get denied for one or both of them or have them terminated that you must be aware of in order to safeguard your future. Going it alone is just about the worst thing you can do when it comes to your benefits, and this is why seeking out the services of an experienced federal workers’ compensation attorney is the best way to go about it. We’re here to help with this.

Are you looking for a FERS disability benefits attorney? If you suffered a permanent injury such as a back or spinal cord injury, developed lung cancer or severe asthma, permanent hearing loss, or any other catastrophic health condition due to occupational exposure and are not able to go back to work as a postal worker or any other federal worker for that matter, we’re here for you. For close to three decades, the experienced federal workers’ compensation lawyers at McCready Law have helped thousands of federal workers get and keep their benefits. Postal workers, in particular, have to brave inclement weather, aggressive dogs, ornery customers, and traverse dangerous neighborhoods and roads in order to deliver mail and packages, and this makes them particularly prone to serious, disabling injuries. we serve all injured and unwell federal workers countrywide; we run a bilingual office (hablamos Espanol). If you suffered an injury that has made it virtually impossible to go back to work as a federal worker, we can help. Please give us a call TODAY at 312-444-0214  for your 100% FREE legal consultation into all things FERS disability benefits so we can chart a clear plan in order to get you the compensation you deserve in an efficient and timely manner – our intake team is standing by.

An Overview of FERS Disability Benefits

FERS disability benefits are available to federal workers who find themselves unable to work due to a permanent injury. In order to qualify, one needs to have worked for the federal government for a minimum of 18 months in order to have a sufficient work history within the government. In addition, you are required to have a medical condition or injury that prevents you from working at your position. This medical condition, remember, must have supporting documentation. You will also be required to fill in forms and attach said documentation, which must highlight diagnosis, treatment history as well as the limitations as regards the types of activities you cannot perform.

SSDI Overview

This is a federal program that provides benefits to all individuals who are unable to work due to a disability. Unlike FERS, SSDI is given to both non-federal and federal employees. The eligibility criteria include having sufficient work credits, with half of these earned over the last decade. In addition, your disability must be so severe as to prevent substantial gainful activity or SGA.

How SSDI Benefits May Impact FERS Disability Benefits

More often than not, FERS and SSDI overlap in the sense that federal workers receiving FERS disability benefits may also qualify for SSDI benefits. That said, your FERS benefits may be reduced or offset depending on the amount of compensation you receive under SSDI. In addition, you must apply for these two separately, and please note that just because you got approved for SSDI does not guarantee approval for FERS disability benefits due to the different eligibility criteria. It is also vital to note here that benefits offset is meant to ensure that the combined total of your FERS and SSDI benefits does not exceed a given threshold. The idea here, particularly for SSDI, is that you are not supposed to receive more benefits compared to your salary if you were able to work, as it defeats the purpose of the program.

Can Your FERS Disability and SSDI Benefits Be Terminated?

After a set amount of time, both SSA and OPM will reevaluate your condition to determine whether you are eligible for disability benefits. When it comes to SSDI benefits, you may be reviewed anywhere from three to seven years, and should it be determined that your condition has improved, your benefits may be terminated or modified. In the case of FERS disability benefits, OPM may ask that you provide them with updated medical documentation to determine if you still qualify for these benefits. If you have undergone significant improvement, your FERS disability benefits may be terminated.

Experienced FERS Disability and SSDI Benefits Attorneys – Call Us Today!

Applying for these benefits can be complicated and involves detailed paperwork that must be submitted in a timely manner. By working with one of our federal workers’ compensation attorneys, you will receive assistance when it comes to document and application preparation, completion of all your disability forms in a comprehensive manner, collecting and presenting medical evidence from healthcare providers, as well as appealing any denials. This process is not for the faint of heart, and self-representation is not advised. Please give us a call at 312-444-0214  NOW if you’re an injured or unwell federal worker, regardless of where you are in the country, so we can hold your hand through the entire process and you can focus on healing from your injuries or health condition. Thanks for choosing McCready Law, and we look forward to hearing from you.