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Printing - FECA-PT2 - National Association of Letter Carriers

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(2) The <strong>of</strong>ficial superior should also be requested to submit a statement which describes<br />

the employee's activities during the several hours immediately preceding the injury and<br />

states whether it is believed that the injury or death was caused by the employee's<br />

intention to bring about injury or death <strong>of</strong> self or another, with a fully detailed explanation<br />

for the belief.<br />

(3) In disability cases, the injured employee should submit a statement which includes a<br />

full account <strong>of</strong> activities during the several hours immediately preceding the injury, and<br />

gives a full description <strong>of</strong> the manner in which the injury occurred, with a definite<br />

statement, including explanation, whether the injury was caused by intention to bring about<br />

the injury or death <strong>of</strong> self or another.<br />

(4) Statements from co-workers or other witnesses should also be requested which<br />

describe the employee's activities during the several hours immediately preceding the<br />

injury, and state whether they believe the injury or death was caused by the employee's<br />

intention to bring about the injury or death <strong>of</strong> self or another, with a fully detailed<br />

explanation for their belief. (See paragraph 14 <strong>of</strong> this chapter for information on suicide<br />

cases.)<br />

2-0804-15 Suicide<br />

15. Suicide. As outlined in paragraph 13 above, section 5 U.S.C. 8102(a)(2) would appear to preclude<br />

payment <strong>of</strong> compensation in all suicide cases. In some such cases, however, compensation can be paid if<br />

the job-related injury (or disease) and its consequences directly resulted in the employee's domination by<br />

a disturbance <strong>of</strong> the mind and loss <strong>of</strong> normal judgment which, in an unbroken chain, result in suicide.<br />

a. Tests. Various tests are applied in different jurisdictions for determining compensability in<br />

suicide cases. The different tests are known as: Sponatski's Rule, New York Rule and<br />

Chain-<strong>of</strong>-Causation Test. (For a discussion <strong>of</strong> these different tests refer to Arthur Larson, The Law<br />

<strong>of</strong> Workmen's Compensation [New York, Matthew Bender, 1979], Volume 1A, Chapter VI, Section<br />

36.) It is OWCP's policy to apply the Chain-<strong>of</strong>-Causation Test in suicide cases filed under the <strong>FECA</strong>.<br />

All jurisdictions, <strong>of</strong> course, require that a worker's suicide be caused by some mental derangement<br />

arising out <strong>of</strong> and in the course <strong>of</strong> the employment to be compensable under workers'<br />

compensation law.<br />

<strong>FECA</strong>-<strong>PT2</strong> Printed: 06/08/2010 191

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