Last Updated on January 11, 2021
An overstated case can literally overwhelm the OPM Disability Specialist who is assigned to review and decide upon a Federal Disability Retirement application under FERS & CSRS. Indeed, the sheer size of a voluminous Disability Retirement packet can appear daunting, intimidating, and ultimately one which may find itself at the “bottom of the stack” of cases.
If this happens, then the result can be an approval or a denial; as to the former, it may well be that the quantitative appearance made it appear substantive in a qualitative manner; or it could be that the OPM Representative came upon a self-imposed deadline and decided that it was time to dispose of it, and approve it.
More likely, however, is the outcome of a denial — for, what a voluminous OPM Disability Retirement packet normally reveals, is that it is not a simple connection between one (or perhaps two or three) medical conditions, and their impact upon a Federal or Postal employee’s inability to perform one or more of the essential elements of one’s job.
Instead, the thickest packet of them all likely means that there is alot of fluff and superfluous material — and if the OPM Representative has to search to find the meat of the matter, it may well be thrown into the dustbin of denials.
Sincerely,
Robert R. McGill, Esquire