The Office of Workers Compensation Program (OWCP) administers the Federal Employees Compensation. Civilian employees of the United States are provided with compensation benefits in the event they are injured while performing duty or due to employment-related disease. If the injury or disease causes death of the employee, FECA (Federal Employees Compensation Act) provides for the payments to the dependents. The OWCP forms are first filled after which the compensation benefit is processed. However, if the injury or disease is caused by wilful misconduct of the employee, benefits cannot be paid. Types of injuries There are two types of injuries covered by FECA. These are traumatic or occupational injuries. A traumatic injury is a wound caused by external force like stress or strain. The injury must be identifiable in terms of time, place of occurrence, and body function affected. You can seek treatment from OWCP doctors or your personal doctor to ascertain the extent of the injury. Occupational diseases are mainly produced by systemic infections. These may include, exposure to toxins, continued or repeated stress and strain or fumes. Evidence for your claim In the event of a traumatic injury, a medical report that specifies how the injury occurred, diagnosis, and findings of how your condition is related to the injury should be submitted. Occupational diseases are much more complex and require extensive evidence. The injured worker should submit a narrative statement which should be accompanied by a comprehensive narrative medical report. The OWCP form should clearly describe how the injury occurred and should also have a supplement statement. An employee is entitled to medical services like surgery and supplies needed for treatment of the injury. Moreover, an employee is also entitled to transportation for obtaining care. The injured employee may select an OWCP doctor or any other physician and hospital of their choice to provide the necessary treatment. However, in case of referral by the attending physician, the injured employee should seek treatment in the hospital referred to by the physician. The OWCP must authorize any change in treating the employee after the initial change. The following are some of the OWCP forms and their usage. Medical Travel Refund Request The OWCP form 957 is a statute called “Medical Travel Refund Request”. Some accidents or incidents may sometimes have place. As such, some employers not only provide the cost of medication and treatment if a worker is injured but also additional expenses like medical travelling. The OWCP form 957 is filled by an injured employee to request for a Medical Travel Refund he/she has suffered in a workplace accident. The form is issued by the US Department of Labor and a claimant of the Refund Request can only be an employee injured in the work-related accident and they have to travel to receive medical services from an OWCP doctor or their own doctor. The groundsfor compensation include doctor appointments, Lab visits, prescription pick-up, and medical testing or procedure visits. It should also be kept in mind that the claimed transportation costs have to be reasonable and that only three trips can be claimed on one form. Claim for Compensation Benefit OWCP form CA-7 is filed when an employee is disabled by a work-related injury or disease. Furthermore, the form is applicable if the employee has serious disfigurement or has a permanent impairment. The employer should give OWCP form CA-7 to the employee by the 30th day of the COP period and also submit the form by the 40th day if the employee is receiving continuation of pay (COP). The employee should complete the appropriate portions of the form upon receiving it from the employer. The form should be filled within 5 OWCP working days if the employee is receiving continuation of pay prior to the end of the 45-day period. The CA-7 form should be used for claiming continuing compensation. Medical Restrictions: Duty Status Report The OWCP form CA-17 directs the supervisor of the injured worker and his/her treating physician. The OWCP form CA-17is split into two sides A and B where side A is completed by the employee’s supervisor while side B is completed by the employee’s treating physician. The supervisor should specify on the form the physical actions and their duration the job of the injured worker entails. Furthermore, the supervisor should specify how much weight the employee can lift on a continuous basis.
On side B of the OWCP form ca-17, the physician must specify his/her findings, medical history of the employee injury and provide a diagnosis due to the injury. The treating physician must also specify if the employee can return to work and provide clinical findings. This form only specifies on-the-job duties and restrictions. It should also be noted that the supervisor should complete section A of the form and forward the form to the treating physician to complete section B.
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