ECAB, also known as the Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board is a federal body that was set up in 1946 for the sole purpose of hearing appeals by injured federal workers who have had their claims denied. It is made up of 3 individuals appointed by OWCP who oversee hearings attended by the claimant and a legal representative. It is important to note that once ECAB makes a final ruling on your case, you cannot appeal it, and you cannot seek recourse from another federal agency making the services of a good federal workers’ compensation attorney very important.
Suffered an injury as a federal worker but had your claim denied or discontinued? Before considering asking for a hearing with ECAB, call us on 1-855-233-3002 and we’ll help you get the compensation you deserve with little effort on your part.
ECAB Process – What Really Happens
What happens is that ECAB takes on appeals and looks at the entirety of a case as presented to them by OWCP. They are impartial and only deal with the facts, which means that your file should always be accurate and updated when it comes to case file manager and medical reports. If you’re unsure regarding the ability of your case file being able to stand up to the scrutiny of ECAB, it will be in your best interests to call us on 1-855-233-3002 so we can look it over before proceeding any further.
ECAB – The 180-day Time Window
Once OWCP issues a final decision regarding your claim, you have up to 6 months to present your case for an appeal to ECAB. This is usually more than enough time for you to work closely with a federal workers’ compensation attorney in order to come up with a compelling case and series of arguments to have OWCP’s decision reversed. That being said, make an effort of familiarizing yourself with the Application for Review form known as AB-1 since you will be required to sign this and present it to ECAB in order to be represented by an attorney during your hearings.
Oral Argument for ECAB
While an oral argument may sound like a good idea, it is usually counterproductive, restrictive and for the most part, a waste of time. This is because you will be required to travel to Washington DC for this, and you will not be able to add new evidence to your case nor will you be able to deviate too much from the facts present in your OWCP file.
Lastly, should you not be satisfied with the Board’s decision, you have 30 days to appeal with succinct reasons as to why you think their decision was legally wrong. Appeals for federal workers’ compensation should never be taken lightly, nor should they be approached personally.
Call Us for All Your Federal Workers’ Compensation Issues
Please call us today on 1-855-233-3002 for your free consultation into the possibility of us representing you during your appeal. Thanks for choosing us, and we look forward to hearing from you.
