All federal workers are insured against injuries through the Federal Employees Compensation Act. Harry with Hinden Law explains, “Workers can be compensated by the Federal worker’s compensation agency, which is managed by the US Department of labor. Currently, there are 12 regional offices that have been put in place to help investigate and process claims. There is more than enough manpower to handle all the claims.” The Compensation is available for all federal workers except railroad workers, longshoremen, harbor workers, black lung coal workers and members of the armed forces, which are covered through a separate unique insurance policy.

Benefits of Federal Workers’ Compensation:

All federal workers who suffer some injuries during work are entitled to payment of all their medical bills as well as out-of-pocket expenses. In case the injuries result in damages that do allow the worker to perform his usual duties. Jeff Hill at Kentons Law Office offers some knowledge, “Federal workers are entitled to full wage payment directly from the agency for up to 45 days from the date the injuries occurred. And after 45 days, the compensation agency is expected to continue paying the lost wages but at a reduced rate. The injured employee is entitled to receive 2/3 of the salary if he does not have a dependent and if he has more than one dependent this may vary. However, the compensation does not include pain and suffering compensation. Pain and suffering compensations will be best discussed with your lawyer.”

In case the injuries result in disability, the Federal Worker Compensation will compensate the worker. The compensation is calculated based on loss of earning capacity, the type of disability and the damages caused on the specific part. And if the injuries resulted in death, dependents will be compensated by the compensation agent.

Sovereign Immunity from Injury Lawsuits:

Unlike private companies, the Federal Government as well is it agencies are immune from employee liability, including personal injuries that the federal employee may be alleging government negligence. Such immunities include injuries caused by another employee during in the workplace.

Third-party Claims Against Non-governmental Agencies:

Federal workers are prohibited from suing the federal government for a workplace injury. However, there are some circumstances where you can pursue a private third-party claim against a non-governmental agency.

Conclusion:

To receive the compensation, the injured federal government employees are expected to file injury claims with the Federal Worker’s Compensation Agency. If the employee sustains a minor injury, you will probably not require any attorney to help you. However, if the injury is very serious, or resulted in disabilities or death, you may need to look for a lawyer who is experienced in such as a case to help you seek for the compensation. Most lawyers will not charge initial legal fees for an office consultation.