A CA-2 is filed when an employee is filing a claim for occupational disease. The CA-2 differs from the CA-2a in that the CA-2 initiates a new claim. The CA-2a is used when an employee has an existing claim, but the claim has been administratively closed because the employee either has not treated with a doctor for 18 months or has previously returned back to full duty work and now has disability. The CA-2a is also referred to as a recurrence claim.
An occupational disease is when an employee cannot point to one specific incident but has injury due to accumulation of repetitive job activities. An example of this is a postal worker with knee arthritis. The postal worker did not have a specific accident but walking 5 to 10 miles a day for 25 years has caused arthritis in the knee. Other types of claims are torn rotator cuff from repetitive reaching. Your doctor may refer to these as repetitive trauma or over-use injuries.
The CA-2 form asks specific questions of the employee about her condition and when she became aware of the condition. The employee should have her medical evidence lined up before filing this form. This would be a report from his doctor stating that the doctor knew about the employee’s job activities and that those activities cause a diagnosed condition. After the form is filed the Department of Labor will send out a questionnaire with more detailed questions to the employee. The questionnaire will ask about any accidents, pre-existing conditions, medical treatment and hobbies or sports that the employee is engaged in.
These claims are more difficult to prove than a traumatic injury claim, but with the right medical evidence and understanding as to what the Department of Labor is seeking, the claims can be accepted.
See the form OWCP-CA2 here: https://www.dol.gov/.../files/owcp/regs/compliance/ca-2.pdf
NOTE: Every case is different. Seek legal help based on the unique facts of your case.