Breaking OWCP with Chris & Gini

(Chats 3-20-19) CA-1 vs. CA-2: Which Form to File & Why Using Health Insurance Kills Your OWCP Claim

• Chris & Gini Helms

Share episode

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 40:22

Live from Las Vegas, Chris and Gini dive into the technical—but critical—foundations of filing a federal injury claim. If you have ever been confused about whether your injury counts as a "traumatic injury" or an "occupational disease," filing the wrong paperwork can sink your case before it starts.

In this episode, we break down the specific differences between Form CA-1 and Form CA-2. More importantly, Chris issues a stern warning about why you should never use your personal health insurance for a work injury if you can avoid it, and why "appealing" a decision is often the wrong legal move compared to a "Request for Reconsideration."

In This Episode You Will Learn:

  • The Forms Defined: How to know if your injury requires a CA-1 (Single Shift/Traumatic) or a CA-2 (Two or more shifts/Occupational).
  • The Health Insurance Trap: Why using your own insurance forfeits your right to mileage reimbursement, time-back buyback, and Schedule Awards.
  • The "1 in 13" Stat: In 2018, only 1 out of 13 federal claims were accepted—usually because private doctors write insufficient narratives.
  • Don't "Appeal": Why clicking the "Appeal" button is a mistake, and why you should file a Request for Reconsideration with new evidence instead.
  • The "Penalty" Statute: The specific law (5420.33) you need to cite if a supervisor refuses to process your claim.

Timestamps:

  • [00:00] Live from Las Vegas: Birthday celebrations and intros.
  • [02:00] Topic 1: CA-1 (Traumatic) vs. CA-2 (Occupational) – Which one do you need?
  • [03:30] Why you must sit with your supervisor while they fill out Page 2.
  • [05:15] Topic 2: OWCP vs. Health Insurance – Why private insurance kills your benefits.
  • [08:20] Stop saying "Appeal": The power of the Request for Reconsideration.
  • [12:30] Q&A: What to do when DOL won't accept medical docs directly from you.
  • [14:40] Q&A: Getting paid on a CA-7 and the 5-day submission law.
  • [24:15] Defining MMI (Maximum Medical Improvement) and Schedule Awards.
  • [33:00] The Supervisor Penalty: Citing 5420.33 (Penalty for failure to process claim) for a listener in Texas.

Key Laws & Codes Mentioned:

  • 5420.33: Penalty for failure to process a claim (Up to $500 fine or imprisonment).
  • 20 CFR 10.110: Supervisor obligation to fill out forms.

Website for Locations. www.federalinjurycenters.com
Contact: 877-787-OWCP or message us Facebook
To Buy The Book: www.breakingowcp.com
To Email information: Info@federalinjurycenters.com
Find Us on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram @
Wednesday Night OWCP Chats with Chris & Gini