United States Department of Labor

Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

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E.F., Appellant

and

U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, CLOVIS POST 

OFFICE, Clovis, CA, Employer

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Docket No. 22-0077

Issued: June 10, 2022

Appearances: Case Submitted on the Record

Appellant, pro se

Office of Solicitor, for the Director

ORDER REMANDING CASE

Before:

PATRICIA H. FITZGERALD, Deputy Chief Judge

JANICE B. ASKIN, Judge

JAMES D. McGINLEY, Alternate Judge

On October 25, 2021 appellant filed a timely appeal from an October 14, 2021 merit 

decision of the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP). The Clerk of the Appellate 

Boards assigned Docket No. 22-0077.

On August 3, 2021 appellant, then a 58-year-old city carrier, filed an occupational disease 

claim (Form CA-2) alleging that she developed right shoulder, elbow, and wrist conditions due to

factors of her federal employment including repetitive computer work and answering telephones. 

She noted that she first became aware of her condition and realized its relation to her federal 

employment on June 7, 2021. Appellantstopped work on August 2, 2021.

By decision dated October 14, 2021, OWCP denied appellant’s occupational disease claim,

finding that the medical evidence of record was insufficient to establish that her right shoulder 

condition was causally related to the accepted factors of her federal employment. In this decision, 

it referenced a prior claim, OWCP File No. xxxxxx188 that was accepted for a right shoulder

condition with a date of injury of November 1, 2006.1 

1 The Board notes that appellant filed a prior claim in OWCP File No. xxxxxx188for an occupational disease for a 

right shoulder condition. 
2

The Board, having duly considered this matter, finds that this case is not in posture for 

decision. 

OWCP’s procedures provide that cases should be administratively combined when correct 

adjudication of the issues depends on frequent cross-referencing between files.2 For example, if a 

new injury case is reported for an employee who previously filed an injury claim for a similar 

condition or the same part of the body, doubling is required. 3 In the present claim, appellant 

alleged repetitive injuries to her right shoulder. OWCP had previously accepted that she developed 

a right shoulder condition under OWCP File No. xxxxxx188. However, as of the date of its 

October 14, 2021 decision, OWCP had not administratively combined the present claim with her 

previously accepted claim pertaining to a right shoulder condition.

As OWCP File No. xxxxxx188 also involves a claim to appellant’s right shoulder, for a 

full and fair adjudication, the Board will remand the case to OWCP to administratively combine 

the case records for OWCP File Nos. xxxxxx479 and xxxxxx188.

4

 Following this and other such 

further development as OWCP deems necessary, it will issue a de novo decision.5

2 Federal (FECA) Procedure Manual, Part 2 -- Claims, File Maintenance and Management, Chapter 2.400.8(c) 

(February2000).

3

Id.; L.M., Docket No. 19-1490 (issued January 29, 2020); L.H.,Docket No 18-1777 (issued July 2, 2019).

4

Id.

5 R.G., Docket No. 19-1755 (issued July 7, 2020); L.M.,supranote 3.
3

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT the October 14, 2021 decision of the Office of 

Workers’ Compensation Programs is set aside, and the case is remanded for further proceedings 

consistent with this order of the Board.

Issued: June 10, 2022

Washington, DC

Patricia H. Fitzgerald, Deputy Chief Judge

Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

Janice B. Askin, Judge

Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

James D. McGinley, Alternate Judge

Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board