Federal workers who may have found themselves permanently injured or unable to return to work for one reason or another may discover that it is possible to go into a form of early retirement so they can heal from their injuries or condition but still recover a monthly stipend cover their medical care and financial obligations. FERS disability benefits are awarded pending an assessment by the OPM, confirmation of one’s medical state as well as ensuring that one has worked for the federal government for a set number of months. FERS disability compensation, however, is mired in red tape, bureaucracy, and even outright denials that may not make sense to the injured or unwell federal worker. That said, the program is made even more frustrating if one has hidden or cumulative trauma injuries. That said, timely legal assistance may help simplify the process, and it is important to liaise with a law firm that has experience with these kinds of claims in order to not only expedite your claim but also ensure that it is accepted the first time around, and we’re here to help with that.

Are you looking for a FERS disability benefits compensation lawyer? For close to three decades, the experienced federal workers’ compensation attorneys at McCready Law have helped thousands of injured federal workers get, keep, increase, and even reinstate their benefits after getting injured on the job or developing an occupational illness due to some form of toxic exposure, or had an underlying condition worsened by job factors. We serve all injured federal workers across the country. If you have questions about the FERS disability benefits program, were denied, or just need more information before making decisions, we’re here for you – please give us a call NOW at 312-444-0214 to learn more about your legal options as they relate to FERS disability benefits: the call is 100% FREE, and we serve all injured or unwell federal workers countywide.

Cumulative Trauma Injuries and Eligibility for FERS Disability Benefits

Cumulative trauma injuries, or CTIs, develop over time due to either specific strain on a particular region of the body or repetitive strain such as overuse of the wrist, shoulders, knees, and so on. These types of injuries or conditions result from prolonged exposure to harmful activities or environments.  Unlike acute injuries, such as falls or head injuries, or even collisions and dog bites, these injuries are hard to pinpoint with regard to condition onset as well as severity, making it that much harder for OPM to believe that you actually have an injury and that it is just as severe as something as apparent and catastrophic as a spinal cord injury due to a vehicular accident or slip and fall down a flight of stairs. For instance, sorting through hundreds of pieces of mail at sorting centers every day or loading and offloading packages from USPS vans and even the bending and lifting one has to do may lead to tendonitis, chronic back pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome over time, which are conditions that have a cumulative effect and may not become apparent until it is too late.

Cumulative Trauma Injuries – Unnoticed Until Too Late

Symptoms around CTI tend to develop slowly, and the federal worker may only experience fatigue or discomfort, making them push through the same for many months until they are confronted with persistent pain, reduced mobility and overall numbness. This leads to the development of a chronic condition which may impact a federal worker’s productivity and, causing them to miss time off work or even not show up to work for days and weeks at a time simply because they cannot work through the pain or disability anymore.

Determining The Onset of Cumulative Trauma Injuries in Federal Workers

The absence of clear onset dates for cumulative trauma injuries can present novel challenges when it comes to federal workers seeking to apply for FERS disability benefits. The insidious nature of these injuries and conditions can complicate the claims process and put their credibility on the line.

Injured USPS Workers – Why Documentation is Absolutely Necessary

As an injured or unwell postal or any other federal worker, it is vital that you provide a clear timeline with regard to CTIs, and one of the ways in which you can do this is by documenting everything. For example, note down when the symptoms first appeared as this could be used as a placeholder for when you knew or should have known about your injuries or occupational illness. In addition, document your regularly performed job tasks including their frequency and duration, and record any changes in the worsening of your symptoms, especially in relation to work-related activities or certain environmental stressors such as in the case of COPD, depression or asthma brought on by work factors.

The Role of Medical Opinions and Exams in FERS Disability Benefits Approval

Obtaining medical opinions is vital when it comes to proving the existence and progression of CTIs, and to this end, ensure that you see a healthcare provider in a timely manner so they can perform a thorough assessment of your medical history, provide formal diagnosis, and establish clear causality. The professional medical opinion of a healthcare worker who has dealt with injured federal workers can be invaluable and may be the thing that gets your claim accepted due to OPM placing great weight on medical reporting and the objective medical evidence contained therein.

Experienced, Countrywide FERS Disability Benefits Attorneys – Call Us Today!

Cumulative trauma injuries or CTIs can be notoriously difficult to prove, and their onset is not visible to the untrained federal worker’s eye, necessitating the combined efforts of experienced medical professionals and keen FERS disability benefits attorneys. Please give us a call NOW at 312-444-0214 if you currently suffer from an injury that you suspect has been ongoing for quite some time but have no way to prove the same so we can assess your case and get you on FERS disability benefits compensation in as little time as possible. Remember, the call is 100% FREE, and there is no legal obligation. Thanks for choosing us, and we look forward to helping you.