OWCP Claim Denied? Here's What to Do Next

A denied OWCP claim is common, but it is not final. Most denials come down to inadequate medical documentation — not a lack of a real injury. You have four clear options after a denial, and most claims can be turned around with the right clinical evidence.

Why OWCP claims get denied

The most common reasons OWCP denies a FECA claim:

• Insufficient medical evidence connecting the injury to a work-related event.
• Missing or vague causation statements from the treating provider.
• Incomplete initial forms (CA-1 or CA-2) — missing dates, mechanisms, or witness information.
• Filing deadlines missed (30-day reporting window for CA-1; 3-year statute of limitations).
• Pre-existing condition not clearly documented as aggravated by work.
• Provider not licensed or enrolled in OWCP.

Option 1: Request reconsideration (within 1 year)

Reconsideration is the most common response to a denial. You have one year from the date of the denial decision to request reconsideration in writing, and you must submit new evidence — not just a request to "look again."

New evidence usually means:

• A detailed causation narrative from your treating physician that directly addresses the denial reason.
• New imaging, labs, or diagnostic findings not previously submitted.
• Witness statements about the injury event.
• Corrected forms with missing information filled in.

Reconsideration requests go to the same OWCP District Office that denied the claim. Use the "Appeals" section of ECOMP or mail the request with all new evidence attached.

Option 2: Request an oral hearing (within 30 days)

If you want a chance to explain your claim in person (or by phone/video) to a hearing representative, request an oral hearing within 30 days of the denial decision. The hearing is informal — no attorney required, though you can bring one — and gives you a chance to clarify the record.

Oral hearings are scheduled through the OWCP Branch of Hearings and Review. They can take several months to schedule.

Option 3: Request a review of the written record (within 30 days)

A written-record review is a paper-only process: the Branch of Hearings and Review reviews your claim file and issues a new decision without a live hearing. It's faster than an oral hearing but gives you no opportunity to add testimony.

You can submit supplemental written evidence with the request. This is a good option when the issue is clearly documentary and doesn't need verbal explanation.

Option 4: Appeal to the ECAB (within 180 days)

The Employees' Compensation Appeals Board (ECAB) is the Department of Labor body that reviews OWCP decisions for legal error. You have 180 days from the final OWCP decision to file an ECAB appeal.

ECAB appeals are limited — they don't review new evidence. They only evaluate whether OWCP properly applied the law and regulations to the existing record. Because of the legal complexity, many workers use an attorney experienced in federal workers' compensation for ECAB cases.

The single most important thing you can do after a denial

Get your medical documentation reviewed by a physician who understands OWCP causation standards. In our experience, the vast majority of denied claims we review are missing one specific element: a clear, medically-reasoned causation statement linking the injury to a work-related event.

A strong causation narrative answers three questions explicitly:

1. What is the diagnosis?
2. Is the diagnosis directly caused or aggravated by a specific work event or duty? (With clinical reasoning.)
3. What is the medical evidence supporting that conclusion?

If your original claim file didn't include this, adding it in a reconsideration request can change the outcome.

How NuThera supports denied-claim cases

NuThera sees many patients whose initial claim was denied elsewhere. We perform a fresh clinical evaluation, review prior records, and produce the detailed causation documentation that OWCP reconsideration requires. We also coordinate with attorneys on ECAB cases when appropriate.