If you are a current or former military personnel, the United States Department of Veteran Affairs is your go to source for medical care. It can be difficult to navigate sometimes so the website provides a helpful FAQ section. If you are military personnel, you should check it out. The site helps out by providing answers to common questions like: What are Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQ)? Who is authorized to complete a DBQ? What are the benefits of using DBQs? Will VA reimburse providers' examination costs or travel costs to the Veteran for DBQ-related actions? Are DBQs mandatory? These and other questions are answered and provide military personnel with a host of information to help in the process of initiating a OWCP injury claim with the VA and seeing it through. Additionally, there are separate sections for Military Personnel and for Medical Professionals which allow those searching for information to access it faster. The Department of Veteran Affairs has its own protocols and processes and utilizing the website can potentially help to inform you in order to help you get the DOL-OWCP injury care you deserve. Check out the site now and get to know what you need to know. Information is a powerful tool and you may find just what you’re looking for on the VA website.

Workers compensation provides benefits for consequential injuries. Consequential injuries are injuries or medical condition that occur away from the job, but that are resultant from the employee’s on the job injury. For instance, if an employee has an injured foot from an accident at work and they fall at home, injuries sustained in the fall at home are considered consequential injuries are are eligible for coverage under workers’ compensation. Another instance of a consequential injury would be an injury sustained during travel to and from medical treatments or an injury suffered during medical treatments. If an employee has sustained a consequential injury, they must submit a written account detailing the circumstances of the second injury and how it is related to the initial work injury. This account, like other workers comp claims, should establish the how, when, and why of the consequential injury. This account should be taken to the medical provider who is treating the initial injury who will evaluate it and provide a medical report that connects the injuries. If you have suffered a consequential injury it will be covered by OWCP as long as it is clearly connected to the original injury. Talk to a medical provider who is familiar with the process and make sure that you get the necessary paperwork filed to ensure your compensation.

Regardless of whether or not you work in the TSA, the USPS, or any other federal employer, the types of injuries of which you are at risk are the same as those who work in private industries. According to multiple sources, the top five causes of those are: Material handling - 32 percent of workplace injuries are related to lifting, bending, crouching, etc. in order to carry large and heavy items. Slips, trips and falls - Whether it’s a result of spills or unclear markings, falling is risk in any workplace and should be addressed whenever it’s needed. Being struck by or colliding with an object - The pace and procedure of many work environments runs the risks of being struck by heavy objects that can inflict serious injury or even death. Accidents involving tools - Poor training and improper use lend to work-related injuries while using tools. Cumulative trauma (injury by overusing or straining a body part over time) - Ongoing work that forces the body to do the same movement over and over can inflict pain and cause ongoing aches and difficulties. If you are a federal employee, you need to be aware of these risks and use both caution and common sense to prevent injury to yourself and to your coworkers. Every worker has a responsibility to work toward ensuring that the work environment is safe for themselves and everyone else they work with.

Last week, there was a reminder in the news of the inherent dangers of being a TSA agent. A man recently breached a checkpoint and attempted to board an airplane at O’Hare International Airport. He was stopped by TSA agents, but not before he attacked police officers and the TSA agents trying to stop him. His motives were unclear, but this story serves as a cautionary tale of the dangers of being a TSA agency. This story reminds us that every job has a unique set of challenges and relative dangers. In the case of these agents, their job placed them in the way of harm from another individual and while it may be tempting to think of their efforts to stop the man in terms of an action film, the reality is that they were performing their jobs and any wounds or injuries sustained in the attack would be require treatment. That treatment is covered by the DOL. Whether you are at a regular risk of being assaulted by nefarious individuals with questionable reasons like police officers or TSA agents or you work in a sorting facility for the USPS, risk of injury is something to be constantly aware of. Your job has risks and those risks should be understood by employees. Do your homework and educate yourself on the potential risks inherent in any job you are considering. It will help you to make an informed decision about the level of risk that you are willing [...]

If you’re a federal employee and you’ve suffered an injury on the job, there are two key components to filing your CA-2: your Employee Statement and your Medical Report. Providing proper personal accounts and a substantiating medical report can make the difference in filing a successful claim the first time and having it denied and requiring you to make changes and go through the process again. As the name states, your Medical Report is a report from your treating doctor that substantiates your claim that your injury is related to or aggravated by your duties as a federal employee. It is a good idea to visit your doctor before you begin a claim with the OWCP because it is important to make sure that your treating doctor does in fact believe that your injury is caused by or aggravated by your workload. It is also important to know that once you receive your Medical Report from your treating doctor, you have 30 days to file your OWCP claim. Without a Medical Report to substantiate the nature of your injuries it is nearly impossible to win a workers’ compensation claim. Make sure you keep copies for your records and it’s always a good idea to keep extra copies just in case something gets lost in the process or additional ones are need.

Most people are well aware of the benefits that they can expect if they are a federal worker who is injured on the job, but did you know that your benefits may extend beyond what you may have thought? Additional injuries received by injured federal workers that occur while you are being treated for work-related injuries may also be covered. Here are several examples of additional injuries that might be covered under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act: Injuries sustained from falling off the examination table at the doctor or rehab office. Injuries sustained from an auto accident that occurs while travelling back and forth to your medical treatments or therapeutic treatments. Injury or damage caused by medications that were prescribed to you by your treating doctor Injury sustained by other parts of the body during rehabilitative treatments If you have experienced any of the above injuries related to your federal workers compensation injury, it is important to discuss these with your doctor and the DOL. You may be entitled to benefits coverage for the secondary injuries as well. Make sure that your injuries are being properly treated and that you are receiving the necessary benefits to get you the medical care and treatment that you need and deserve.