An initial OWCP development letter asks for more evidence before OWCP decides a new FECA claim. Read the letter for the specific evidence requested and the response date; then organize your response around each item.
What the letter is asking you to do
Start with the items OWCP lists. A request may concern what happened at work, medical evidence, or both. The DOL FECA Procedure Manual says OWCP must allow at least 60 days for a response to initial development letters before denying a claim. Use the instructions in your own notice and ask OWCP promptly if the timing is unclear. This minimum is for initial claim development; it is not a universal deadline for later correspondence or appeals.
Turn each request into a checklist
Make a short list with three columns: what OWCP asked for, what record addresses it, and what is still missing. Keep factual items, such as the work-event timeline, separate from questions that require a physician’s medical judgment. If the letter requests a medical report, bring the exact request and relevant records to your clinician. The DOL claim-process guide identifies the injury history, diagnosis and explanation of the relationship to work among the medical evidence OWCP may need.
Submit and keep a record
Follow the submission instructions in the letter. DOL’s claim-process guide describes using ECOMP to submit evidence. Keep a copy of the notice, the documents you send and any upload confirmation. If OWCP sends a follow-up, compare it with the initial request to see which questions remain. A submission confirmation shows that you sent material; it does not mean OWCP accepted the claim.
This guide is general education; it does not determine your deadline or claim outcome.
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Common questions.
Does an initial development letter mean OWCP denied my claim?
No. An initial development letter requests evidence before a decision. Read the heading and instructions to distinguish it from a formal decision.
Does every OWCP letter give me 60 days?
No. The minimum described in the FECA Procedure Manual applies to initial development letters. Use the instructions for the specific notice you received.
Can I write the physician’s opinion myself?
No. You can organize your own factual history and records, but the physician is responsible for the medical findings and reasoning in their report.