ELLIS CLINICOCCUPATIONAL & LEGAL MEDICINEOklahoma City, Oklahoma
OWCP · ATTENDING PHYSICIAN'S MEDICAL REPORT

CA-20 CA-20

Form CA-20 organizes core medical evidence for a FECA claim: how the injury occurred, objective findings, diagnosis, causal relationship, disability status, restrictions, and the treating physician's certification.

OPEN OFFICIAL CA-20ELLIS CLINIC OWCP
GuideMedical EvidenceOther Medical FormsAppointments
ELLIS CLINIC MEDICAL FORM GUIDE

More Than Filling In Boxes

The form organizes information, but the strength of the medical evidence depends on the diagnosis, objective findings, work relationship, disability or restrictions, and the physician's reasoning.

Diagnosis Matters

The current CA-20 specifically notes that pain is not itself a compensable diagnosis, although pain may be documented as a symptom of a diagnosed condition.

Causation Requires an Explanation

The form asks whether employment caused or aggravated the diagnosed condition and tells the physician to explain how the work activity or incident was sufficient to do so.

CAUSATION FRAMEWORK →

Disability and Restrictions

The physician identifies total, partial, or no disability and can describe limitations and work that could reasonably be performed.

CA-17 DUTY STATUS →
THE MEDICAL LOGIC

History → Findings → Diagnosis → Causation → Disability

The CA-20 is valuable because it places several core elements of a FECA medical opinion together. Complex cases or prolonged disability may still require a more detailed narrative medical report.

01MECHANISMRecord how the work injury occurred.
02OBJECTIVE FINDINGSDocument examination and diagnostic testing.
03DIAGNOSISState specific medical diagnoses and codes.
04RATIONALEExplain causation/aggravation and resulting disability or restrictions.
Important: DOL's procedure manual says a completed CA-16 or CA-20 can provide sufficient medical evidence for adjudication of many traumatic injury claims, but additional narrative evidence may be required for continuing benefits, complex cases, prolonged disability, or occupational disease claims.
RELATED OWCP MEDICAL FORMS

Build the Medical Record

CA-16Authorization for Examination and/or Treatment CA-17Duty Status Report and work restrictions CA-20Attending Physician's Report OWCP-5cWork Capacity Evaluation — Musculoskeletal Conditions