United States Department of Labor

Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

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A.G., Appellant

and

U.S. POSTAL SERVICE, POST OFFICE,

Little Rock, AR, Employer

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Docket No. 22-0814

Issued: August 30, 2022

Appearances: Case Submitted on the Record

Appellant, pro se 

Office of Solicitor, for the Director

ORDER REMANDING CASE 

Before:

ALEC J. KOROMILAS, Chief Judge

JANICE B. ASKIN, Judge

VALERIE D. EVANS-HARRELL, Alternate Judge

On May 3, 2022 appellant filed a timely appeal from January 6 and April 27, 2022 merit

decisions of the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) in relation to OWCP File

No. xxxxxx820. The Clerk of the AppellateBoards docketed the appeal as No. 22-0814.

On March 17, 2021 appellant, then a 41-year-old window clerk, filed a traumatic injury 

claim (Form CA-1) alleging that on March 15, 2021 she injured her middle area of her back when

bending and lifting to sort flat bundles while in the performance of duty. She stopped work on 

March 15, 2021. OWCP assigned the claim File No. xxxxxx820.

1

By decision dated September 14, 2021, OWCP denied appellant’s traumatic injury claim, 

finding that the medical evidence of record was insufficient to establish a diagnosed medical 

condition causally related to the accepted March 15, 2021 employment incident. Thus, it 

concluded that requirements had not been met to establish an injury under FECA.

1 Under OWCP File No. xxxxxx945, OWCP previously accepted a June 3, 2020 traumatic injury claim for a lumbar 

spine and ligament sprain. 
2

On October 15, 2021 appellant requested reconsideration of OWCP’s September 14, 2021 

decision.

By decision dated January 6, 2022, OWCP modified its prior decision, finding that 

appellant had established a diagnosed medical condition. However, the claim remained denied as

the medical evidence of record was insufficient to establish a back condition causally related to 

the accepted March 15, 2021 employment incident. OWCP noted that appellant had a previously 

accepted claim under File No. xxxxxx945.

On January 31, 2022 appellant requested reconsideration and submitted additional 

evidence.

By decision dated April 27, 2022, OWCP denied modification of its January 6, 2022 

decision.

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 case 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 Herein, appellant’s accepted claim 

under OWCP File No. xxxxxx945 also involved a back condition, which is at issue in the present 

claim, OWCP File No. xxxxxx820. For a full and fair adjudication, the case must be returned to 

OWCP to administratively combine the current case record, OWCP File No. xxxxxx820, with 

OWCP File No. xxxxxx945, so it can consider all accompanying evidence in adjudicating 

appellant’s current traumatic injury claim.4 

Following this and such further development as OWCP deems necessary, it shall issue a

de novo decision. Accordingly,

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

(February2000); T.D., Docket No. 20-1119 (issued January 29, 2021); R.R., Docket No. 19-0368 (issued 

November 26, 2019).

3

Id.; M.L., Docket No. 20-1176 (issued April29, 2021); L.M., Docket No. 19-1490 (issued January 29, 2020); L.H., 

Docket No. 18-1777 (issued July 2, 2019).

4

Supra note 2 at Chapter 2.400.8(c)(1); W.D., Docket No. 19-0961 (issued March 31, 2021); L.P., Docket Nos. 18-

1558, 18-1568 (issued June 21, 2019).
3

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT the January 6 and April 27, 2022 decisions of the 

Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs are set aside and the case is remanded for further 

proceedings consistent with this order of the Board.

Issued: August 30, 2022

Washington, DC

Alec J. Koromilas, Chief Judge

Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

Janice B. Askin, Judge

Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board

Valerie D. Evans-Harrell, Alternate Judge

Employees’ Compensation Appeals Board