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Printing - FECA-PT2 - National Association of Letter Carriers

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(b) The claimant may be entitled to compensation for loss <strong>of</strong> wage-earning<br />

capacity (LWEC) at the expiration <strong>of</strong> the schedule award (see Example 2 above). If<br />

so, an informed election cannot be made until the claimant's LWEC is determined.<br />

Thus, two elections are possible and permitted in such cases--the first between the<br />

schedule award under the <strong>FECA</strong> and the veteran's benefit, and the second between<br />

compensation for LWEC under the <strong>FECA</strong> and the veteran's benefit. The conditions <strong>of</strong><br />

both elections would be as outlined in Example 2 above.<br />

(3) The prohibition does not extend to pensions, since Section 5 U.S.C. 8116(a)(2)<br />

expressly provides that there is no limitation on the right to receive <strong>FECA</strong> compensation<br />

because <strong>of</strong> the receipt <strong>of</strong> a pension for service in the Army, Navy or Air Force. The receipt<br />

<strong>of</strong> a pension from the DVA for a non-service-connected disability or death and the payment<br />

<strong>of</strong> compensation under the <strong>FECA</strong> is therefore not a prohibited dual benefit, and no election<br />

is required.<br />

(4) The DVA pays other benefits to veterans and their survivors, which are variously<br />

termed compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation, and educational<br />

assistance, etc., other than for educational awards. The payment <strong>of</strong> compensation under<br />

the <strong>FECA</strong> concurrently with such veterans' benefits would constitute a prohibited dual<br />

payment only where the veteran's award is based on the finding that the same disability or<br />

death for which <strong>FECA</strong> benefits are payable was caused by the military service. See<br />

paragraph 8b above.<br />

(5) When several kinds <strong>of</strong> disability are present, the DVA combines the percentages<br />

allowed for each disability (using a method <strong>of</strong> computation similar to the combined values<br />

chart in the AMA Guides to the Evaluation <strong>of</strong> Permanent Impairment). The resulting<br />

percentage is <strong>of</strong>ten less than the sum <strong>of</strong> all impairments. For instance, the veteran may<br />

have 40% disability due to one condition, 30% due to a second condition, and 10% due to a<br />

third condition, for a total award <strong>of</strong> 60%.<br />

(a) When determining percentages for election, the CE should use the amount <strong>of</strong><br />

the percentage for the work-related condition only.<br />

(b) The amount <strong>of</strong> the percentage should not be pro-rated to account for use <strong>of</strong><br />

the combination method. In the example given above, if the work-related condition<br />

is the one for which the DVA has granted 40% disability, the entire 40% should be<br />

used in determining the amount <strong>of</strong> the election.<br />

(c) For privacy reasons, the DVA may not provide information about percentages<br />

<strong>of</strong> disability for conditions other than the work-related one. The CE may need to<br />

contact the claimant directly to obtain a copy <strong>of</strong> the notice <strong>of</strong> benefits showing the<br />

percentages paid for each disability.<br />

c. Educational Benefits.<br />

<strong>FECA</strong>-<strong>PT2</strong> Printed: 06/08/2010 535

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