Federal workers who have been injured on the job need to understand the specifics related to filing a claim in case of an injury sustained on the job. Specifically, you need to know that there is a limit on the amount of time that can pass if you’re going to file a claim.

The Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) makes it clear that your injury compensation claim must be filed within 3 years of the date on which you sustained your injury. However, it does depend on what type of injury you sustained as to how the start time of that 3-year period is inititiated.

If you sustained a traumatic injury on the job and the injury is clear and obvious, the start date of your 3-year window begins at the date of the injury. However, some injuries result in latent conditions. Latent conditions are conditions where the source and timing of the injury are more difficult to ascertain. In these cases, the time limit begins whenever the employee becomes aware or reasonably aware of their injury. According to the FECA, “For a latent condition, it begins to run when an injured employee with a compensable disability becomes aware, or reasonably should have been aware, of a possible relationship between the medical condition and the employment.”

If you have questions about your federal workers compensation claim, make sure you schedule an appointment with one of our doctors so that we can help you arrive at a proper diagnosis and you can get the ball rolling on your compensation claim.