The doctor who is most supportive of an OPM Disability Retirement application under FERS or CSRS is often the one who understands the “fine print” of what it means to be “disabled” under FERS or CSRS. That is precisely why the Standard Form 3112C (Physician’s Statement) is often a harmful form, rather than a helpful form.
There are other reasons why the form should never be signed or submitted, but it is enough that it not only tends to confuse the physician, but also does not properly explain to the treating physician the criteria and the underlying meaning of what is necessary to qualify for OPM Disability Retirement benefits.
Generally speaking, doctors are not very passionate about turning in their patients over to the gristmill of the disabled, thinking that putting a person out to pasture is not only medically unnecessary, but ultimately detrimental to the psychological and physical well-being of a patient.
But when it is properly explained to the doctor, in easy and understandable terms, what and why the benefit of Federal Disability Retirement under FERS and CSRS exists, and to inform the doctor of the benefit to the patient, then it is quite possible to have not only the technical support of the doctor, but more importantly, to garner the passionate support of the doctor as well.
Sincerely,
Robert R. McGill, Esquire
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OPM Disability Retirement: What Ifs
“What Ifs” are hypotheticals which can paralyze a process. Often, such imaginary road blocks are pragmatic irrelevancies, and are better left alone. Others, one should affirmatively confront.
Thus: “What if my Supervisor says…” There are things in one’s control, and those which are not. A Federal Disability Retirement application contains an implicit concept which must not be forgotten: It is actually a Federal Medical Disability Retirement application. What the Supervisor says or doesn’t say is not ultimately relevant. Can the Supervisor’s Statement have an influence or impact? Obviously. But it is not one of those things which should be worried about, because it is beyond anyone’s control — for the most part.
“What if my doctor won’t support my case?” This is a hypothetical which one has control over, in filing for Federal Medical Disability Retirement benefits. As such, one should make an appointment with the doctor before starting the process, or even contemplating starting the process, and have a frank discussion with the doctor. Bifurcate those issues which one has control over, from those which one does not. In filing for Federal Disability Retirement benefits under FERS or CSRS, one needs to confront the reality of today, in preparation for tomorrow’s future.
Sincerely,
Robert R. McGill, Esquire
Filed under: Pre-Application Considerations | Tagged: a doctor's comments are more important than a supervisor's comments in an opm claim, civil service disability, CSRS disability retirement federal attorney, deciding what medical documentation is relevant to your opm claim, ensuring a supportive physician even after opm application, ethical issues when filing the 3112b form, federal disability retirement is primarily a medical issue, fers disability application supervisor comments, FERS disability lawyer, FERS disability retirement, focusing on the main medical issues of your illnesses or injuries, getting the medical support you need for your federal disability case, how to seek the support of your treating doctor, law firm representing clients in opm disability law all across america, neutralizing negative statements from supervisor's statements in sf 3112b, OPM disability lawyer, OPM disability retirement, owcp disability retirement, postal service disability retirement, remembering that opm disability retirement is primarily a medical issue, representing federal employees from any us government agency, should I find another physician to support my opm claim?, super, supervisors' revenge against Postal workers, the 3112c form, the doctor's support for owcp and opm medical claims, the limited power of a supervisor in the fers disability retirement process, the most and the least important actors fers disability retirement, the relevant medical information in opm disability, the supportive physician, trying to change things you have some control over, usps disability and the support of a doctor to your workers comp claim, USPS disability retirement, usps form 3112c, why the sf 3112b matters less than the doctor's statements, why your doctor's support is critical to your opm disability claim, worrying about keeping your doctor on your side under workers comp, worrying about things out of your control | Leave a comment »