How do I claim a Schedule Award?
When an injured worker has permanent loss of use of certain body parts or organs, she/he may request a schedule award by submitting a CA-7 Claim for Schedule Award and an impairment rating completed by her/his treating physician. The impairment rating can only be completed after maximum medical improvement has been reached and must be in accordance with the 6th Edition of the American Medical Association Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, referencing the appropriate tables, and citing the date of maximum medical improvement. Impairment ratings may be done in a narrative format. There is not a form for the physician to complete for the impairment rating unless the Claims Examiner has provided one in response to incomplete medical documentation previously submitted. The CA-7 is available on line at http://www.dol.gov/owcp/dfec/regs/compliance/forms.htm
If you are still employed by your Federal agency, complete your portion of the CA-7 and submit it to your employing agency’s Injury Compensation office. They will complete their portion and forward the CA-7 to OWCP.
If you are no longer employed by your Federal Agency, complete your portion of the CA-7 and submit it to OWCP at U.S Department of Labor, DFEC Central Mailroom, P.O. Box 8300, London, KY, 40742-8300. As is the case with anything you send to OWCP, please note your claim number on every page, send only single sided copies, and be sure to keep a copy for your records. If the information is needed from your former employing Federal agency OWCP will contact the agency to obtain it.
Once the completed CA-7 and the impairment rating have been received, reviewed, and determined to appear complete by the claims examiner, she/he forwards it to the district medical advisor (DMA) for review. In some situations, the Claims Examiner must develop the claim be contacting the claimant, employer, or rating physician for additional information. In some cases, the claimant must be referred to a second opinion medical examination to obtain a complete impairment rating.
