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5 Basic Elements

In order for a DOL claim to be accepted under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA), the claim must meet 5 basic elements:

(1) Be Filed Timely

(2) Be filed by a Federal Civil Employee

(3) Establish Fact of Injury, which has both a factual and medical component. Factually, the injury, accident or employment factor alleged must have actually occurred. Medically, a medical condition must be diagnosed in connection with the injury or event.

(4) Establish Performance of Duty. The injury and/or medical condition must have arisen during the course of employment and within the scope of compensable work factors.

(5) Establish Casual Relationship, which means the medical evidence establishes that the diagnosed condition is causally related to the injury or event.

The attending physician must submit a comprehensive narrative medical report, which includes the following:

(1) Dates of examination and treatment

(2) Description of claimant symptoms

(3) Results of examinations and tests (MRI, X-ray, and CT scans)

(4) Diagnosis (including ICD-10 codes)

(5) Clinical course of treatment provided, and the effect of such treatment

(6) Description of the specific employment duties/activities given by the claimant to the physician

(7) The physician’s opinion, supported by a medical explanation as to how work activities during the course of Federal employment caused, contributed to, or aggravated the medical condition