FERS Medical Disability Retirement: Larger Than Life

Every culture paints the picture of the mythological character, woven into the fabric of stories told, of narratives given, of heroes and heroines looming larger than life.

Of Caesar, Jefferson (somewhat cut down to size in recent years); of David versus Goliath; Patton and his 7th mechanized Army, beating out Montgomery and the 8th Army in the race to Messina; of a recent leader (who will be left unnamed) who was once a reality-T.V. star and now mythologized for his excesses; and although you may disagree with everything the “larger-than-life” figure may represent, you cannot avoid the fact that every culture, all countries, all around the globe and throughout history, have created, fostered, maintained and eulogized anointed figures at the altar of idol worshippers.

Perhaps it is a necessary prelude, or at least an ingredient, for any civilization; that, by creating such characters and caricatures, we can better deal with the regular humdrum lives which most of us experience.  We say to ourselves, “Well, if David could have slain Goliath, then surely I can solve my own insignificant problems!”  Or, has it had a reverse, negative effect?  Of saying, “Yes, but I am not a Marvel-comic book hero; I can’t flight or zap my enemies with a thunderbolt; for goodness sakes, I can’t even pay my rent”?

And then, when a medical condition suddenly appears on the horizon — and in the end, all medical conditions are “larger than life”, precisely because many of them can defeat one’s life — it can result in devastating consequences.

For Federal employees and Postal workers who suffer from such a medical condition where it appears that the medical condition will necessitate the end of your Federal or Postal career, you may need to contact a FERS Disability Retirement Attorney who specializes in Federal Employee Disability Retirement Law, where the “larger than life” bureaucracy of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management may need the specialization of a FERS Lawyer who can contend with the Leviathan of a Federal Goliath, with a few smooth legal stones to cast at its heartbeat.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill
Lawyer exclusively representing Federal and Postal employees to secure their Federal Disability Retirement benefits under FERS from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

 

Federal Medical Disability Retirement: Of Life’s Bindings

What is it that binds us to life?  We are well aware of those things which unbind us — loss of family and friends; major changes; upheavals; divorce; medical conditions.  The things which unbind us from life are those which create havoc, extend joylessness beyond mere momentary emotions, etc.

The things which bind us to life are those events, encounters and elements which enliven us, reinvigorate our spirits, and compel us to a level of energy which declares to the world, “I am alive. I want to contribute.”

Of life’s bindings: Helping young people to find their bindings of life; Of learning how to maneuver through the maze of complexities and challenges which daily living brings to the fore; Of having a special relationship with others; Of having a loyal dog beside you; Of work which is satisfying, and of which you are competent and successful; of health.

The last of these are often taken for granted; yet, it is always the first on one’s list of life’s bindings when it begins to fail.

For Federal employees and U.S. Postal workers whose health is beginning to fail, and where the failure of health impacts one’s ability and capacity to continue in the career of a Federal or Postal employee, the time to consider preparing an effective Federal Disability Retirement application for submission under FERS to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management is — now.

Don’t wait until the primary basis of all other of life’s bindings begins to fail — of one’s health — where the dominos begin to fall and knock down all other of life’s bindings.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill
Lawyer exclusively representing Federal and Postal employees to secure their Federal Disability Retirement benefits under FERS from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

 

FERS Disability Retirement Law: The Call Not Made

The call not made is the one regretted; for, it was the proverbial fork in the road, the turning point, the next corner, the event which could have unfolded unexpectedly to change one’s life.  Perhaps it was the follow-up not followed after a chance meeting with someone who might have become your life partner; a potential employer; a message left by a friend-of-a-friend; a distant relation whom you barely knew, but reached out for a reason left unclear.

The call not made is the one which you thought you could avoid, brush off, ignore, leave aside; but it is often the one which could have made a difference — if not in your own life, but in some other’s.

For Federal employees and U.S. Postal workers who have been delaying the call not made — to a lawyer who specializes in Federal Disability Retirement benefits through the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, under FERS — it is often because the potential caller knows, in one’s “heart-of-hearts”, that it is an inevitable call, and the one which is being delayed for fear of the change itself.  But change should never be feared, and ultimately the decision of change itself is an option that only you can determine.

The call itself will merely open up the possibility for future change, whereas the call not made forecloses it, sometimes forever.

Contact an OPM Disability Lawyer who specializes in Federal Disability Retirement Law, and make that call not made — yet.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill
Lawyer exclusively representing Federal and Postal employees to secure their Federal Disability Retirement benefits under FERS from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

 

Medical Disability for Federal & Postal Employees: Once Known, Now…

Writers and other artists populate that field — of being once known, mostly during their lifetime; if lucky, for a period of time thereafter, but now….

The ellipsis is meant to convey the idea of the opposite — that a person once known, but now is unknown; has shrunk back into the arena of anonymity; of having been once famous, or at least “well-known”, but upon death, has now passed among those who, like most of us, barely require an honorable mention, let alone a footnote in history; and, instead, like so many graveyards long forgotten and buried beneath the crawling summers of weeds and the drifting beauty of dandelions’ dispersing seeds, once known, now….

For example — Carlos Baker; who was he?; who remembers him?  He wrote the definitive biography on Ernest Hemingway, and was himself an accomplished short story writer, poet, and well-known during his time.  Most of us would like to have had even a fraction of the reputation and popularity he enjoyed during his lifetime; but in the end, we all return to the dust from whence we came.

For Federal employees and U.S. Postal workers who suffer from a medical condition such that the medical condition now prevents the Federal or Postal worker from performing one or more of the essential elements of one’s Federal or Postal job, the prospect of returning to total anonymity may be a falsely-motivating element in trying to continue and to “fight on”.

Health should be the top priority.  Yes, once you receive an approval for your Federal Disability Retirement, you will no longer be known as “Tom the X, Sally the expert-on-Y, or Julian who is V”; but you will begin to get your health back.

Contact an OPM Disability Lawyer who specializes in Federal Disability Retirement Law, and fear not the loss of a footnote where you were once known, and now…

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill, Lawyer
Federal Disability Retirement Attorney

Federal Employee Disability Retirement: The Focus of Things

Paintings, photographs, artwork of any kind — the author, artist, poet or photographer often wants you to focus upon certain things.  The background, the context, the foreground left unfocused; or, of a certain object, person, entity or subject which is the primary point of the display before you — was it deliberately intended, or was it an accident?

Sometimes, by mistake, an accidental capture of an unintended incident or subject which was not originally the focus of things to become prominent, is suddenly recognized as being more important or relevant than first thought.  But that is a rarity.  The focus of things is normally an intended act.

Thus, in a Federal OPM Disability Retirement case, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management will deliberately focus upon certain issues.  Why is that?  To try and defeat and deny a FERS Disability Retirement application based upon what they believe is the “winning” issue for them.

From the Applicant’s perspective and viewpoint, the focus is often quite different.  And, of course, there is a difference in focus between being a “patient” of a medical condition trying to get better, and being an applicant for a FERS Disability Retirement annuity.

It is, in the end, the focus of things which can make a difference, and the reason why you need a lawyer in order to obtain Federal Disability Retirement benefits is precisely because the focus of things is quite different — as in, an advocate for your Federal Disability Retirement application can make the difference between a focused approach and an unfocused one.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill
FERS Disability Attorney

 

Federal Disability Retirement Process under FERS: Silent Despair

Despair is bad enough; silent despair, her cousin to avoid.

Sometimes, sharing the trouble, “talking it out” with someone else, complaining to a spouse or friend, or even just venting — helps to expiate the cumulative stresses which grow relentlessly within the body and mind of the individual.  Perhaps that is what social media is ultimately all about — an outlet for expression, however imperfect, which satisfies a very basic human need.  For, silent despair is that desolation of one’s spirit which has no avenue leading to human contact, and that is the worst type of despair.

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, talk to a Federal Disability Retirement Lawyer about whether or not Federal Disability Retirement benefits is an avenue for your despair.

Silent despair never leads to a solution; speaking with an expert in the field of Federal Disability Retirement Law, at the very least, allows for you to consider options which you may not have previously considered.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill, Esquire

 

Federal Employee Disability Retirement: The Perfect Day

For those with a literary bent, the natural inclination is to complete the title with, “for banana fish” — the erstwhile J.D. Salinger short story.  For the rest of us, it may be defined in other ways, different manners and varying definitions: Perhaps it is a day where one’s favorite football team wins; or, a quiet day of reading beside the fireplace, where snow drifts slowly upon the world outside, but not so much as to need shoveling or snow blowing, just enough to provide a picturesque scenery of calm and repose.

Or, perhaps it is one of negation: No work; no present worries; no children clamoring for attention; no arguments; no in-laws visiting without invitation.  Different definitions depend upon different perspectives of differentiated debacles; for some, “perfection” is what we will settle for less than the official dictionary definition; for others, the high standards we demand do not allow for anything less than.  If one of positive accomplishment, the taskmaster is never satisfied; but if it is based upon mere negation, then we may accept something less.

For Federal employees and U.S. Postal workers who are considering filing for Federal Disability Retirement benefits, the perfect day may be just an ordinary one — where one’s medical conditions are temporarily tolerable.  But such a standard cannot last forever, and yet one can hope that — with the worry of work behind you, the concern for the future still before you — if a Federal Disability Retirement annuity can be obtained, at least the stress of work can be set aside so that you can focus upon regaining your health.

Consult with an OPM Disability Attorney who specializes in Federal Disability Retirement Law and consider the perfect day that may yet be achievable: Of a day where your health may be somewhat restored, perhaps not even reaching a level of perfection but merely of acceptability.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill, Esquire

 

FERS Disability Retirement: The Garden of One’s Mind

The metaphor has been used often enough; whether it enhances or enlightens one’s knowledge of one’s self is of dubious prospects.  The physical, objective entity identified as a “garden” is simple enough in being defined: it must include some plants and soil; perhaps a few rocks or boulders to enhance the natural contours of the landscape; and a person who “tends” to the garden — i.e., a “gardener”.

Can there be wild gardens without a gardener?  In other words, can you walk through a forest and come upon a clearing where there are flowers and various plant lives, and declare, “Oh, what a beautiful garden!”?  Similarly, can a person who lives in an apartment who has a collection of potted plants have the “right” to say to someone, “You should come and admire my garden sometime.”?

Purists may object to the application of the term “garden” to either of those described scenes, but a looser definition is still widely accepted in this modern age where malleability of language is a given.  Then, of course, there is the “stretching” of language’s boundaries by applying the metaphor of a “Garden of one’s Mind”.

What can it mean?  It often refers to the state of one’s mind: Of whether one has allowed for too much neglect and has failed to “prune” the overgrowth or let the weeds overtake; of failing to replenish the soil or allowed by disease and decay to overshadow.

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, the concept encapsulated in the metaphor of the garden is appropriate.

For, like the untended garden, the Federal or Postal employee who suffers from a medical condition must apply the same principles as the gardener who must begin to prune and replenish: decisions about the next steps, of what to cut out or whether one can leave things as they are; these are all contained in the metaphor within the Garden of One’s Mind, and it may be a first step to consult with an attorney who specializes in Federal Disability Retirement Law before making important decisions like career changes and leaving the Federal government.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill, Esquire

 

Disability Retirement for Federal Employees: The Cadence of Life

We all “have” one, or at least sense it; and when we do not, it means that the tune to which we march is so coordinated that we don’t even realize that there is one; for, it is only when the song is “out of tune” or the marching footsteps are out of sync that it becomes apparent that the cadence of life is left askew.

There are days when the cadence of life is so perfectly attuned that we need not pause to consider it; then, there are other days when everything is out of tune — when the feet trip over one another, the dexterity of hands become all thumbs and nothing seems to work and the cadence of life has been disrupted.  Most days are somewhere in between upon the spectrum of daily living — of being in tune most of the time but with disruptions and pauses; “pregnant pauses”, at that, which make for embarrassment and disjointed agonies of trepidation and concern.

We say things like, “I feel out-of-sorts” or perhaps a slight cold or “bug” has infected us; but whatever the cause, we know that we must get back into the step of things and march along with the rest of the crowd, lest the band leave us and the quietude of isolation engulfs us with a fear of loneliness.

Medical conditions — whether of illness or injury — can likewise disrupt the cadence of life, and 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, filing for FERS Disability Retirement benefits — to be ultimately submitted to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management — is one step towards regaining that step to bring yourself in cadence with the cadence of life once lost, and now to be found.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill, Esquire

 

FERS Disability Retirement: Trains that have already left

What do we say about a person who is told that his train has already left the station, and that another will not take him to his destination until the day after, yet insists upon remaining on the platform hoping that, somehow, another will arrive, perhaps in the next hour or so?  Is it stubbornness?  Or, perhaps a denying of reality?  Or a refusal to admit to one’s mistake in arriving too late?

The metaphor of the train having already left the station, of course, is a universally well-known one, and it is especially poignant when emphasizing the need to rearrange, reorganize and rethink one’s future plans.

So the conversation goes: “Well, I am thinking about doing …”  And the response is: “That train has already left the station.”  Meaning: You may have had the opportunity to do what you are thinking of doing, perhaps 5 years ago, or maybe even yesterday; but such an opportunity has already come and gone, and you cannot change the fact that the proverbial “train” has already left without you.  The response might be: “Yes, but I can catch the next train.”  To which, the counter to the response is often: “That may be, but understand that it will be a different train, and not the same one that you missed.”

How far can one go in utilizing a metaphor or an analogy?  At some point, the metaphor can become lost within layers of double and triple “meanings”, and the conversation has to get back to the reality of the present and actual situation.  And so the return back to basics: A 40-year old man says, “I think I will try out for the Orioles as a short-stop.”  The friend may give a wry smile and say, “Yes, but you know that that train has already left the station”.

We all know what that means: While the Orioles sorely may need a good short-stop, a person who is 40 years old will not be able to keep up with the rigor of being a professional baseball player.  It is simply not realistic.

Likewise, for Federal and Postal employees 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, it is often difficult to discern the “reality” of one’s situation in making a proper determination for one’s future.  Is it realistic to think that one will be able to return to work?  How long will the Federal Agency or the Postal Service show patience in taking so much time off? Is it possible that the Federal Agency or the Postal Service will be able to accommodate my medical condition?

Trains that leave the station on time are often ones that are forever gone; and the one that is ultimately entered to travel to the destination one has chosen, may well get you to where you want to go, but it will nevertheless be a different train, a distinctly separate destination, and even the rider will be another person.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill, Esquire