I was a postal working who has been on OWCP (Workers’ Compensation) disability since 1998 when I suffered a serious back injury. Since that time, OWCP has sent me to numerous appointment with specialists to evaluate my condition and they all reached the same conclusion: the nature of my injury and the corresponding restriction it placed on my physical capabilities, along with the medications I needed to take to manage the pain caused by the injury, resulted in a permanent condition that would prevent me from re-entering the job market.
Over the last several months, however, I have had my case challenged by OWCP in a new and disturbing fashion. They sent me to another “independent” medical examiner who acknowledges that I am still permanently disabled and therefore cannot go back to work, but he claimed that the injury that cause my disability actually healed years ago, and that my current condition is a result of a pre-existing degenerative disease. The fact that I was able to work over 50-60 hours a week as a letter carrier while raising two kids as a single mother before my injury would seem to contradict this absurd claim, but I could see the handwriting on the wall: OWCP wanted to terminate my benefits, and they were looking for a way to get away with it. This was a frightening possibility since it would not only end my compensation, but would also terminate my medical benefits. This meant that the medications I take would no longer be paid for, and several of these and new and very expensive. Without OWCP, I could not afford to buy them on my own, and would have to stop taking them and this could lead to seizures and hospitalization.
When I received the letter from OWCP informing me that my benefits and compensation would end in 30 days if no new medical evidence was presented, I knew I would need some professional help to fight this. I found the Felser Law Firm online and called them to see if they could help me. Since that call, they have been a strong and diligent advocate for me defense, and I feel that I have someone on my side who knows exactly what information we needed from my doctors and how it needed to be presented in order ot counter OWCP’s claims. He also understands that this is a scary situation to be in and was always available to address my concerns. I know that I could be in for a long fight with this, but I feel much more confident knowing that I have Paul on my side.
Lori J. Adams