Human beings have a need — or perhaps, merely a desire — to compare one another’s status, stature, standing and state of suffering, as well as other non-alliterative issues. Suffering is a state of existence which can be compared — of the extent, severity and qualitative basis — as well as the responses and reactions thereto.
How much can an individual endure? Is our own suffering “as bad” as the next person’s? How is it that some people can withstand with apparent aplomb an avalanche of suffering while the next person can barely handle a de minimus amount? Can we really quantify suffering, or is it based upon the tolerance-level of each individual which determines the capacity of any response? Does comparing one’s own suffering really help in the therapeutic recovery of a coping individual?
For Federal employees and U.S.Postal workers who suffer from a medical condition such that the medical condition prevents the Federal or Postal employee from performing one or more of the essential elements of one’s Federal or Postal job, comparing one’s medical condition to the next person’s medical condition is actually the wrong approach in considering whether or not to file for Federal Disability Retirement benefits. Rather, the “right” comparison is with the essential elements of your particular job, and whether or not you can perform all of them.
Contact an OPM Disability Lawyer who specializes in Federal Disability Retirement Law and make sure that the comparative suffering is between apples and apples, and not between the misguided comparison of apples versus oranges, or even of comparative suffering between incomparable medical conditions.
Sincerely,
Robert R. McGill, Lawyer
Federal Employee Retirement Attorney
OPM Disability Retirement, Et Cetera… 