IDIOPATHIC FALLS

IDIOPATHIC FALLS

As defined in medicine the term “Idiopathic” means arising spontaneously or from an unknown cause. An idiopathic fall is typically due to an employee’s personal health condition that would have resulted in an injury regardless of the employment. Such health condition could be a seizure, heart attack, syncope, asthma, neuropathy etc. Idiopathic falls typically are non-compensable unless the work environment had increased the risk of injury of the idiopathic fall. Example, one has heart condition, falls at work and strikes his/her body on an object resulting in a hip fracture. In this scenario, OWCP/DOL will cover the hip fracture but not the heart condition. Another example would be a federal worker with condition of epilepsy while climbing a ladder on the job and suffers a seizure and falls down sustained fractured arm. The arm fracture would be a covered injury but not the seizure.  If you believe you may have an idiopathic fall, please call us and schedule your free consultation.