Some federal workers assume that once OWCP accepts their claim, the hardest part is over. They receive medical treatment, recover as much as possible, and even return to work in some cases. If permanent limitations remain, they expect the rest of the process to unfold naturally. However, that’s not always what happens.
When it comes to a schedule award, the physician performing your impairment evaluation can have a tremendous impact on the outcome. Two doctors may agree that you suffered the same injury, yet produce impairment ratings that differ significantly because of how thoroughly they document their findings and apply the AMA Guides of the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment.
A Schedule Award is based on permanent impairment, not simply the fact that an injury occurred. The physician conducting the evaluation must carefully measure permanent loss of function, document objective (non-contestable) findings, and explain how the accepted work injury resulted in lasting impairment. Those findings become the foundation of your award.
Understanding how the schedule award process works before reaching this stage can help you appreciate why the impairment evaluation carries so much weight.
Many workers focus on the final percentage listed in their report. What often gets overlooked is how that number is reached. An impairment rating should include:
One of the biggest misconceptions we encounter is that returning to work automatically ends a federal workers’ compensation claim. In reality, many workers continue experiencing:
Those ongoing issues may still qualify for compensation through a schedule award. We’ve discussed this in greater detail in our article on schedule award benefits, where we explain why returning to work doesn’t necessarily mean your compensation rights have ended.
The impairment examination isn’t performed in isolation. It relies on months, or sometimes years, of medical records documenting:
If your records contain inconsistencies, vague physician narratives, or unclear timelines, they can make the impairment evaluation more difficult. We always stress the importance of strong OWCP claim documentation from the very beginning of the process.
Some workers believe the first impairment rating they receive is automatically final. That isn’t always the case. Depending on the circumstances, additional medical evidence or clarification may be appropriate. We’ve seen situations where workers accepted an initial evaluation without realizing important medical findings had been overlooked/documented.
A successful schedule award doesn’t begin on the day of the impairment evaluation. It begins the day the injury is reported.
Workers who delay treatment or submit incomplete information create obstacles that become much harder to overcome later. We encourage injured employees to read our article explaining why delaying an OWCP claim can hurt their case. Likewise, avoiding common filing errors can strengthen your case from the outset. Our guide to common OWCP claim mistakes highlights the issues we see most frequently.
Every schedule award is built on medical evidence, but medical evidence alone doesn’t always tell the complete story.
If you have questions about an impairment evaluation or believe you may qualify for a schedule award, our team can help you understand your options.
Learn more about the schedule awards process and contact IFW Law Group to discuss your situation.
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