Over 112,000 FECA claims were filed in fiscal year 2023. Filing your FECA claim can be overwhelming, and a denial can make it even more so. Here at Sarphie Law, we can help you reclaim your life and get you the benefits you deserve.
FECA Definition and Who is Eligible
The Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) helps federal employees who sustained an injury or disease at work with medical and monetary benefits so they can return to work. If the federal worker were to die because of this injury or disease, the dependents of the employee would receive benefits.
To be eligible for FECA benefits, you must either be a federal employee who was injured or sustained a disease at work or a dependent of said worker if they died.
Types of Injuries FECA Covers
There are a number of types of injuries FECA covers, including traumatic injuries and occupational illness.
Traumatic injury
If you are wounded or obtain a different form of injury in a single day at work, even from stress or strain, this would be considered a traumatic injury. The injury must have occurred at a specific time and place at work, affected a particular part of the body, and been a singular event or series of events on a single day.
For example, falling off a ladder while retrieving a part off a shelf would be considered a traumatic injury.
Occupational illness
An occupational illness is one contracted as a result of your work environment. The illness could result from repeated stress or strain, infection, exposure to toxins, etc, and can occur over the course of more than one day.
An example of an occupational illness is exposure to toxins for multiple days and becoming sick or getting carpal tunnel from typing on a computer all day for days on end.
It can sometimes be difficult to prove that an occupational illness resulted from work, so make sure you have strong evidence to support your claim.
Other Injuries FECA Covers
Other types of injuries may seem to fall under traumatic or occupational illnesses, but they should be elaborated upon and more specific.
Repetitive motion or overuse injuries
Repetitive strain, or stress injuries, can be debilitating and painful. These injuries include back pain, tendonitis, and among others. It can be difficult to prove these injuries resulted from work, so make sure your evidence is strong when you file your claim.
Hearing loss
If you work in a noisy environment and develop hearing loss over time, you may be able to file a FECA claim.
Stress-related injuries
It may be challenging to obtain FECA benefits for stress-related injuries, but it is possible. This greatly depends on what state you live in, as states have different rules about psychiatric injuries.
However, if you can prove without any doubt that the stress-related injury happened at work, you should file a claim and provide as much evidence as possible.
Contact an Experienced Federal Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Today
If you are a federal employee who sustained a traumatic injury, occupational illness, or other type of injury at work, FECA benefits can help you. Contact us at Sarphie Law today to review your claim.