Winning Your Schedule Award

To win a schedule award for OWCP, you must meet the following requirements:

  • You must be a federal employee.
  • Your injury must have occurred in the course of your federal worker employment.
  • Your injury must have caused permanent loss of use of a body part or organ listed in the OWCP schedule.
  • Your injury must have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI).
  • You must have a medical report from a DOL doctor that provides an impairment rating for your injury.
  • The impairment rating is a percentage that reflects the degree of loss of function in your injured body part. The OWCP uses the American Medical
  • Association’s Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides) to determine impairment ratings.

Once you have met all of the requirements, you can file a CA-7 Claim for Schedule Award with the OWCP. The CA-7 form can be found on the OWCP website.

When you file your CA-7 form, you must include the following:

  • Your name, address, and Social Security number
  • The date and circumstances of your injury
  • The name and address of your treating physician
  • A copy of your medical report that provides an impairment rating for your injury
  • The OWCP will review your claim and make a decision. If your claim is approved, you will receive a schedule award payment. The amount of the payment will be based on the impairment rating for your injury.

Here are some tips for increasing your chances of winning a schedule award:

  • Get a medical report from a doctor who is familiar with the OWCP and the AMA Guides.
  • Make sure the medical report is clear and concise, and that it provides a detailed explanation of your injury and the resulting impairment.
  • File your CA-7 form promptly after your injury reaches MMI.
  • Be persistent and follow up with the OWCP if you do not hear back from them within a reasonable time period.
  • If your claim is denied, you can appeal the decision. You can do this by filing a Form CA-5, Notice of Disagreement. The CA-5 form can also be found on the OWCP website.

The OWCP will review your appeal and make a final decision. If your appeal is denied, you can file a civil lawsuit in federal court.

Winning a schedule award can be a complex and challenging process. However, if you follow the tips above, you will increase your chances of success.