Podcast #3: A Good Doctor is the Real Key to Winning:

Transcript edited for clarity:

How do you know if you are eligible for Disability Retirement?

There is a legal standard, but you probably would have a difficult time figuring out if you meet it on your own.

Everyone who calls me thinks they meet the standard – otherwise they wouldn’t be calling! Most people think they will be able to win, and without a lawyer on top of that.

Now, that could be true for a small number of people. If someone is paralyzed, have terminal cancer, or something like that, where it is 100% clear cut that they cannot do their job duties, then they probably don’t need me or a referral to another lawyer.

So what’s the standard?

The details for the standard are laid out in the blog, but for now I will say this. The standard is that you have to be unable to perform at least one critical element of your job. You have to prove that a disability makes you unable to “satisfactorily” perform a critical element of your job.

So if your work is unsatisfactory or you are unable to make it to work, then that would meet the standard?

Exactly. Unless you are lazing around watching TV!

You have to demonstrate that you cannot make it to work due to your medical condition.

Additionally, a disability must be expected to last at least one year.

And how would you demonstrate that?

Through a doctor. More specifically, through the applicant’s statement and the physician’s statement (two forms on the OPM Disability Retirement Application).

Now, writing a good applicant’s statement is a good idea, but it is basically worthless compared to a physician’s statement.

What wins a disability retirement case is what a doctor says.

When I was a kid, my dad took me to restaurants every now and then. And the way to get to the front of the line at the restaurant was to put “Dr.” in front of your name. So my dad always went by Dr. Friedman and we were always seated first.

It’s not so different at OPM. The doctor is treated better than everyone else.

So should you lie and say you are the doctor?

You should never lie! But being a doctor isn’t as good as being the federal employee who has a doctor who writes you a great Physician’s Statement!

On the other hand, if you are being treated, but you don’t have a doctor who is ready to talk about your treatment, talk about your disability, and discuss how despite your treatment, you still cannot get over your disabling condition and perform your job, then you are not going to win.

You can say all you want about being sick or disabled, and it won’t matter. You need the doctor to do it.

You need evidence.

If you want to talk to Harvey about your situation, fill out the form at the right, send him an email, or give him a call. As a semi-retired lawyer, he is here to talk with you and help as best he can – think of him as a friend you drop in on for advice.