In a claim for a psychiatric condition , a report from a psychiatrist or licensed clinical psychologist will be required to meet this criterion. In claims for occupational hearing loss and pulmonary disease, the OWCP will refer the employee for examination by an appropriate specialist after exposure to the hazardous substance or condition has been established. Chapter 6 may be consulted for further information concerning medical examinations. Sometimes an injury occurring outside performance of duty may affect the compensability of a work-related injury. Included in this definition are injuries sustained while obtaining medical care for a work-related injury.
Consequential injuries are compensable.
The resulting condition will be considered related to the original injury unless the second injury alone is established as its cause. Also advise doctors that if disability continues, they should include that fact in all reports to OWCP, and those reports should be kept current. Further, all communications from your agency to the doctor must be in writing. Many times in the written reports to OWCP, the doctor is not specific enough about HOW the exact activities caused the medical condition. This work connection statement can be especially critical in occupational illness cases, and in cases where your condition becomes worse unexpectedly, or you have a secondary condition as a result of the first.