How does the FECA claims adjudication process work, and what factors are considered in determining the acceptance or denial of a claim?

In order for OWCP to consider your claim after suffering an injury as a federal worker, you will have to provide them with medical documentation as well as either form CA-1 or CA-2 depending on injury or illness. These documents are then reviewed to ensure their completeness, and after verifying your employee status as a federal worker, an examiner will determine whether there is a direct correlation between your injury and the performance of work duties that led to said injury or illness. Upon acceptance of your claim, you will be provided with authorization to seek treatment as well as any compensation deemed necessary such as wage loss benefits. If OWCP rejects your claim, they will offer reasons behind their rejection; that said, you can always appeal this rejection.

Some of the most common factors that will determine whether you will receive an acceptance or denial include your employment status at time of injury or illness, the existence or lack of a causal relationship between injury and the work activity, the existence or lack of medical documentation as well as the language contained therein, whether you had a pre-existing condition at the time of your injury, whether the injury was reported in a timely manner, and comparison with other similar, past cases handled by OWCP.