Federal employees, stay tuned! FedDoctor has big news coming in the state of Texas. We are always looking for more doctors to help injured federal employees that have federal workers compensation injury claims. Doctors that are familiar with the OWCP and how to help you get the appropriate treatment and benefits are hard to find. Check back with us soon to learn more about the breaking news in the Lonestar State. More soon…
Dr. Jennifer Johnson-Caldwell is helping federal employees in Houston, Texas. As a board certified specialist in Internal Medicine, Dr. Johnson-Caldwell has had passion for helping federal employees with work injuries for over 10 years.
Texas Wellness and Rehab, Dr. Johnson-Cladwell’s clinic, can help federal employees with ongoing OWCP claims get the diagnosis and treatment that they need to get well and return to their lives and work. She understands the federal workers compensation system and knows how to help with the appropriate paperwork as well as do 6th Edition impairment ratings in accordance with the federal guidelines.
Texas Wellness and Rehab has in house physical therapy and orthopedic specialists to assist as well. If you live in the Houston area, call or visit Dr. Johnson-Caldwell to start getting the treatment you deserve. The OWCP can be intimidating to many people who are unfamiliar with the federal workers comp system. But finding the right care provider can make all the difference.
Dr. Johnson-Caldwell is currently working on an updated website to better serve you and federal employees like you. Please call and check back with FedDoctor.com to learn more.
To continue our discussion about filing a new claim with the Office of Workers Compensation Programs, let’s look at the CA-2 form:
A CA-2 is a Notice of Occupational Disease form. These are used when your injury occurred over a period of time due to repetitive motion or exposure. A good example of an occupational injury is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or CTS.
Again, it is imperative that your doctor understand the importance of a good causation report. Any objective test findings should accompany his detailed narrative explaining the history of the injury. This is where having a physician that is familiar with the OWCP can really pay off.
Many doctors are never questioned on their opinions, but the federal workers compensation system is deferent. They make a habit of requiring doctors to go above and beyond their normal practice scope to prove that the injury occurred as a result of performing the federal service.
Using FedDoctor.com can be helpful when trying to locate a local doctor who understands what the OWCP is asking for. Federal doctors are hard to find, but having one can be the difference in your claim.
Many federal employees that are injured on the job are bombarded with federal claim forms. When filing for a new workers compensation claim, the most common are the CA-1 and CA-2.
The CA-1 is a new claim for traumatic injury. A traumatic injury is when something outside of the patient causes sudden injury. A good example would be twisting a knee while climbing steps, or slipping and falling on a sheet of ice while performing your job. Many traumatic injury are dismissed by the injured employee as minor. This can lead to problems down the road.
If the injured federal employee doesn’t seek medical care, it is hard to establish that the events at work are what actually caused the subsequent injuries. Always report injuries to supervisors and fill our incident reports whenever possible. If you do carry on with the day or even go home before realizing that the injury is severe, report how the event happened whenever you do make it to your doctor.
The OWCP wants for your care provider to explain to them how you were injured. the more detail you can provide the better. It also significantly helps if your doctor is familiar with federal workers compensation rules. Many doctors are familiar with state law workers comp, but few know the federal.
In order to have a good chance at an accepted OWCP claim, your doctor will need to provide the OWCP with documentation concerning his or her opinion regarding the events that caused the injury itself. It doesn’t matter if your knee was hurt previously, if your job made it worse, your doctor will need to outline how the incident on the job worsened your condition.
The more objective findings and diagnostic studies your physician can provide along with their detailed medical narrative and opinion, the higher your chances are of having an accepted federal workers compensation claim.
Use FedDoctor to find a local federal doctor to help you get treatment and documentation for your file.
To be continued…
Many federal employees that file a workers compensation claim with the OWCP receive a response requesting additional medical evidence before the OWCP will render a decision on their claim. This can be frustrating to the claimant as well as to their treating physician.
Most doctors have little experience working with the OWCP and don’t understand why they won’t connect the dots and approve their patients claim. The unfortunate reality is that the OWCP requires that the cause of injury is well specifically and thoroughly spelled out for them in easy to understand terms.
Many doctors that haven’t spent much time on federal workers compensation cases don’t expect this level of critique for their work, but using diagnostics, objective findings and a detailed narrative are often required for the Office of Workers Compensation Programs to approve a claim. A “causation report” outlining the history of the injury or aggravation of a preexisting injury can be very important to the acceptance of a claim.
Make sure your doctor has extensive experience with the OWCP and their unusual requirements. If your physician or care provider isn’t familiar with the federal workers compensation system, it may be a good idea to find a doctor who can help you document your claim and work on your medical file. Treatment and recovery are most important, but paperwork and compensation can be the difference in a successful federal claim.
FedDoctor.com is here as a trusted and free resource for federal employees who can’t find a local doctor to take on the OWCP. We scour the nation looking for federal doctors that are both interested in helping and knowledgeable of these situations. Start searching now to find a doctor near you!
FedDoctor.com is proud to be helping federal employees find great doctors throughout the country. Currently, most federal workers have a hard time finding quality medical care from physicians that spend the extra time to understand the differences between their own state law and OWCP rules and regulations.
FedDoctor is dedicated to trying to help anyone and everyone with an ongoing federal claim see a doctor who is committed to working on their file. California is off to a great start and federal employees are able to find top quality care providers in both southern and northern parts of the state. With multiple practices in the greater Los Angeles area, Sacramento, and beyond, FedDoctor.com won’t stop until all federal employees have a place to go for care.
If you have been hurt on the job, or you know someone who has, FedDoctor wants to help. Call or click today to get started on your road to recovery.
When a federal employee has a work related injury, the process of establishing the treating physician is very important.
The OWCP generally allows the injured worker to choose who they would like to treat with. The first visit to a health care facility does not automatically name your treating doctor as it may be and urgent care or emergency room visit. Usually, the second visit, or first “office” visit, will establish the doctor that the federal workers compensation office will recognize.
Once you begin your treatment, you will not be authorized to see any other doctors for that job related injury without a direct referral from your treating physician. Your doctor will have to refer you for diagnostics if they do not do them in house, or to another specialist if your conditions require specialized care.
You may request a change in treating physician from the OWCP. If you have a good reason for the change and at your claims examiner’s discretion, it may be authorized. If your treating doctor releases you, you may search for a new doctor and once you have seen that new physician, they are established as your new “treater.”
As you can see, it is imperative that you choose you new federal doctor wisely. With doctors across they country who take extra care to understand the OWCP, FedDoctor.com is here to help you make the right choice for your federal workers comp claim.
Start searching now to find a local doctor who understands the federal rules and regulations and can help you get treatment, evaluations, reports and documentation you need to start your recovery. No one asks to be hurt on the job, but you can make sure you get the treatment and benefits that you deserve.
Northern California, your wait is finally over!
Dr. Mark Bernhard, board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, is now a member of the FedDoctor community. Dr. Bernhard, who has been practicing medicine for over 30 years, focuses on helping patients who have been injured on the job. He functions as a Primary Treating Physician and his special interests are in the evaluation and treatment of the musculoskeletal system.
Federal workers compensation claims often require extra effort on the part of your physician and Dr. Bernhard has the knowledge and interest in helping you with your claim. Dr. Bernhard performs Impairment Ratings in accordance with the 6th Edition of the AMA Guides that will assist you in your claim for schedule award benefits from OWCP.
Contact Dr. Bernhard to begin receiving the treatment that you deserve for your OWCP claim. In addition to causual narratives and reports, Dr. Bernhard can provide many types of treatment, EMG/NCV diagnostics, x-rays, injections, prescription exercise plans and FCE (functional capacity evaluations).
Which form does what? Of course most federal employees are not familiar with OWCP forms because they’ve never had an on the job injury. But if you or someone you know does ever have an injury, you must know which forms do what!
Here is a quick and simple refreshment to help us all remember some of the most important forms involved with OWCP Federal Workers Compensation claims.
CA-1 Notice of Traumatic Injury and Claim for Continuance of Compensation
CA-2 Notice of Occupational Disease and Claim for Compensation
CA-2a Notice of Recurrence
CA-7 Claim for Compensation (leave without pay, leave buy back, other wages, schedule award)
CA-10 What a federal employee should do when injured at work
CA-17 Duty Status Report
CA-20 Attending Physician’s Report
OWCP-5a Work Capacity Evaluation Psychiatric/Psychological Conditions
OWCP-5b Work Capacity Evaluation Cardiovascular/Pulmonary Conditions
OWCP-5c Work Capacity Evaluation Musculoskeletal Conditions
OWCP-915 Claim for Medical Reimbursement
OWCP-957 Medical Travel Refund Request
There are many more forms that may be used during the course of a federal employees workers compensation claim and you can find the full list and links to these forms here.
If your doctor is not familiar with these forms, share this information with them. It is vitally important to all federal employees with ongoing OWCP workers compensation claims that their doctor understands how to help them keep their ligament claim alive! This again is why FedDoctor.com exists. To help connect injured federal employees with doctors who understand OWCP.
Great news for Southern California… Dr. Steven Meier at the Center for Progressive Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Surgery helps federal employees! FedDoctor.com is very proud to help connect injured federal employees with Dr. Steven Meier and his wonderful team.
Dr. Meier’s office is located on the famous Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California. His focus is on injures and he is dedicated to providing each patient with highest quality of care possible.
Dr. Meier is a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon and offers multiple treatment options including therapy, exercise programs, rehabilitation and minimally invasive surgical options. When surgery is necessary, the most current technologies are used which result in less postoperative pain and a faster recovery.
OWCP Federal Workers Compensation claimants are welcome! Dr. Meier has years of experience in helping individuals with work related injuries. He is also familiar with the AMA Guides 6th edition and can help you with your impairment rating examination for your OWCP schedule award.
Visit Dr. Meier’s website at www.ProgressiveSportsMedicine.com or contact his office directly at (310) 777-7845.