The Federal Employees Compensation Act provides a much-needed lifeline to injured federal workers looking to get compensated so they can take care of their medical and utility, as well as physical therapy and other needs as they recover. This program is overseen by the Office of Personnel Management as well as Office of Workers’ Compensation, and a process of submission of paperwork, medical exams as well as demonstrating causation must be followed in order to qualify for federal workers’ compensation as an injured federal worker.

In particular, USPS last mile workers operate within environments where injuries are all-too-common and where repetitive injury risk is high, these individuals often end up with a constellation of injuries that contribute to overall disability by the time they suffer a large injury. OWCP is responsible for assigning what is known as an impairment rating which will determine if the USPS last mile worker’s request for compensation is granted.

However, the legal concept of “idiosyncratic disability” comes into play as it recognizes that the overall functional impairment experienced by a worker with a unique combination of injuries can be substantially greater than the sum of the impairments assessed for each injury in isolation. USPS workers often present with numerous musculoskeletal issues by the time they experience a work-stopping injury such as head injury, dog bite, slip and fall, nerve injury and so on, and therefore, a fair assessment of their overall functional limitations is needed to ensure they receive the benefits they are owed under FECA.

How We Help Injured Federal Workers Secure OWCP Benefits

As a top federal workers’ compensation law firm with decades of experience helping injured USPS last mile workers, we are adept at coming up with a convincing medical rationale that can help influence OWCP’s decision to approve your schedule award claim among other benefits – read on to find out how we do this within the shortest amount of time possible.

Are you looking for the best federal workers’ compensation attorney? Please call us NOW at (314) 481-63338 to learn more about how we can help you secure compensation as an injured USPS last mile worker. For close to four decades, the experienced federal workers’ compensation lawyers at McCready Law have helped thousands of injured federal workers receive schedule awards among other benefits after getting injured on the job or falling ill with an occupational or disabling illness.

We have direct experience working with OWCP as well as OPM and pride ourselves in being able to act as liaisons between you and these federal agencies, and we can help expedite your claim by ensuring all your forms are filled in a timely manner, you are seen by a physician who understands the OWCP requirements as far as medical assessments are concerned, and we can even represent you if you are an injured federal worker who applied for schedule award but received a denial – we are adept at overturning these by instituting appeals and presenting new evidence in order to get you the compensation you were denied from the outset.

We serve a countrywide clientele, so feel free to give us a call NOW at (314) 481-63338 regardless of where you are in the country and we’ll go over your claim’s particulars and advise accordingly at NO COST to you – our intake team is standing by.

OWCP Impairment Rating for Injured Postal Workers – How is it Done?

Traditionally, OWCP has assessed the impairment resulting from each injury and then coming up with individual ratings for each in order to come up with a comprehensive impairment rating. However, this method can be erroneous in cases where a USPS last mile worker has a number of injuries and medical conditions that interact with each other in order to create overall functional limitation. To put it simply, “idiosyncratic disability recognizes that the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts, especially when considering the functional impact on a federal worker and the job responsibilities they may face.

A great example where this concept can be applied is when a USPS last mile letter carrier presents with moderate carpal tunnel syndrome, degenerative disc disease as well as early-stage osteoarthritis in both knees due to job demands. While none of these conditions may lead to a high impairment rating, their combination may render the USPS worker unable to perform essential job duties in an efficient and safe manner. Therefore, it can be said that the combination of injuries or conditions must be seen as a greater impediment to warrant an impairment rating that is higher than the simple addition of individual impairments.

Idiosyncratic Disability Application in USPS Last Mile Worker Injury Claims

While “idiosyncratic disability” is not explicitly used in FECA regulations, the principles surrounding this concept are used during the disability evaluation employed by OWCP. The whole is usually bigger and more substantial than the parts, and these injuries must be assessed in a manner that is holistic. In order for OWCP to apply this concept, we shall help ensure that your medical documentation is comprehensive by ensuring you receive accurate diagnoses, your physical examinations are objective and that your symptoms are sufficiently detailed in order to create a narrative where your injuries are seen in concert and demonstrate a high level of functional limitation work-wise. In addition, we shall ensure that expert medical opinion is provided by someone who can accurately and objectively address the cumulative functional impact of your unique combination of injuries.

Best Countrywide Federal Workers’ Compensation Attorneys – Call Us Today!

Given the complex nature of these kinds of claims, it is prudent to work with an experienced federal workers’ compensation law firm, so your claim is not arbitrarily denied. Don’t try to go it alone as there are so many nuances we haven’t covered in this post, and don’t choose the cheapest law firm in an attempt to save money as this may jeopardize your ability to recover benefits – call us NOW at (314) 481-63338 so we can carry out a comprehensive assessment of your claim as an injured USPS last mile worker and advise further. Remember, the call is 100% FREE, and there is no legal obligation. Thanks for choosing McCready Law, and we look forward to helping you.