Longshore Division Announces Fax Filing for Case Create Forms

The Longshore Division of the U.S. Department of Labor has announced that it will now accept initial filings in new claims by facsimile.  As of March 1, 2018, initial "case create" forms may be submitted to the Longshore Division through a new fax number, (202) 513-6814.  The "case create," forms, which initiate a claim in the Longshore Division, include Form LS-201 (Notice of Employee's Injury or Death); LS-202 (Employer's First Report of Injury or Occupational Illness); LS-203 (Employee's Claim for Compensation) and the LS-262 (Claim for Death Benefits).  

In another change, the case create forms may be submitted by mail to the Jacksonville Office.  Prior to March 1, 2018, all case create forms had to be mailed to the New York District Office.  The Jacksonville Office address for submitting case create forms is:

U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs
Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation
400 West Bay Street, Suite 63A, Box 28
Jacksonville, FL 32202

After a case is created and assigned an OWCP number, all forms and other correspondence and documentation may be submitted through the Division's online portal, SEAPortal.  Submissions by mail should go to the Jacksonville Office address.  

These new procedures apply to all new claims filed under the Longshore Act and all its extensions.  The Longshore Division published an industry notice describing these new procedures in detail, which may be read here.