The Bronx's Physician-Led Federal Workers' Compensation Clinic
Federal Injury Specialists is a DOL-enrolled OWCP clinic at 531 West 235th Street in Riverdale, Bronx, built for one purpose: treating federal employees injured on the job and getting their federal workers' compensation claims documented correctly. A fellowship-trained spine physician, a certified physician assistant and licensed New York physical therapists work together under one roof.
A Clinic Built Around the OWCP Claim, Not Just the Injury
Federal Injury Specialists is a federal workers' compensation clinic in the Bronx, New York, serving civilian employees of the U.S. Postal Service, the Department of Veterans Affairs, TSA, federal law enforcement and every other federal agency in New York City and Westchester County. We are enrolled with the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) and treat injuries covered under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA).
Most medical practices see a federal work injury as an ordinary orthopedic case with unusual paperwork. We see it the other way around. Under FECA, a claim lives or dies on the attending physician's report — whether it establishes a diagnosis, explains the causal relationship to the job in plain language, and keeps duty-status updates flowing to OWCP on time. Our clinic was organized so that the physician who writes those reports, the physician assistant who follows your progress, and the physical therapists who deliver your rehabilitation all share one chart and one plan of care.
The practice is owned and directed by Alex Sherman, PT, a licensed New York physical therapist since 2000 with more than two decades of hospital-based and outpatient experience in orthopedics, workplace ergonomics and work-injury rehabilitation. Medical care is directed by Eugene Liu, MD, our Medical Director and attending physician, a fellowship-trained spine and musculoskeletal specialist.
Federal Injury Specialists at a Glance
- What we doFederal workers' compensation (DOL / OWCP) evaluation, treatment, forms and physical therapy
- Who we treatFederal civilian employees covered under FECA — USPS, VA, TSA, CBP, ICE, BOP, DoD civilians and all agencies
- Location531 West 235th Street, Bronx, NY 10463 (Riverdale / Kingsbridge) — near the 231st St & 238th St 1-train stops
- Medical DirectorEugene Liu, MD — Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, fellowship-trained in spine & musculoskeletal medicine
- Owner & Clinical DirectorAlex Sherman, PT — licensed NY physical therapist since 2000
- TeamMD · PA-C · licensed physical therapists · dedicated OWCP case manager
- LanguagesEnglish · Russian
- HoursMon–Fri 8:30 AM–5:00 PM · Sat 9:00 AM–3:30 PM · Sun closed
- BillingOWCP billed directly; no out-of-pocket cost on accepted claims
Federal Workers' Compensation Is Its Own System — and It Rewards Specialists
Injured federal employees in New York are not covered by the New York State Workers' Compensation Board. They are covered by FECA, administered by the Department of Labor's OWCP, with its own forms (CA-1, CA-2, CA-7, CA-16, CA-17, CA-20), its own fee schedule, its own provider enrollment through the OWCP medical bill processing portal, and its own standard of medical evidence. A doctor who treats state comp and no-fault patients all day rarely knows what OWCP claims examiners look for — and a claim that's medically sound can still be denied because the report never said the words OWCP needed to read.
Federal Injury Specialists exists to close that gap. Every provider on our team works inside the OWCP framework daily. Our physician writes narrative reports that address history of injury, objective findings, diagnosis, causal relationship and work capacity in the structure OWCP expects. Our case manager tracks authorizations, ECOMP filings and CA-17 deadlines. Our therapists document functional progress in terms that support — rather than undermine — your claim and your eventual return to work or schedule award.
What that means for you
- An attending physician of record who meets FECA's definition of "physician" and signs your CA-16, CA-17 and CA-20
- Physical therapy prescribed by that physician and delivered in the same building — no gaps between report and rehab
- Narrative medical reports written to OWCP's evidence standard, not generic office notes
- Help with CA-1 / CA-2 filing in ECOMP, continuation-of-pay deadlines and CA-7 wage-loss claims
- Direct coordination with OWCP claims examiners and your agency's injury compensation specialist
Meet the Federal Injury Specialists Team
Credentials, training and experience for every clinician who will be involved in your OWCP care. Under FECA the physician is the attending provider of record, so we list Dr. Liu first.
Eugene Liu, MD
Dr. Eugene Liu directs medical care at Federal Injury Specialists and serves as the attending physician for our OWCP patients. He is a physiatrist — a specialist in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation — with fellowship training in spine and musculoskeletal medicine, the two areas that account for the large majority of federal work injuries we see.
"I want the best solutions for my patients. Although I'm skilled with interventional procedures to alleviate pain, I always consider non-surgical solutions first. I'm proud of the fact that I can help over 70% of my patients without surgery. My goal is to help every patient resolve his or her pain and return to the active lifestyles they enjoy — that's why I've combined pain management with medically supervised physical therapy. You'll never leave my office with unanswered questions or the feeling you've been rushed."
Education & Training
- Doctor of Medicine — Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
- B.A., magna cum laude — College of Arts & Sciences, State University of New York at Stony Brook
- Fellowship — Spine & Musculoskeletal Medicine, New England Baptist Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Residency — Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, New England Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine
- Internship — General Surgery, New England Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine
Professional Memberships
- American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
- American Medical Association
- North American Spine Society
- Spine Intervention Society
Role in Your OWCP Claim
- Initial evaluation, diagnosis and imaging orders
- Causal-relationship narrative reports for OWCP
- Physician portions of CA-16, CA-17 and CA-20
- Physical therapy prescriptions and treatment authorizations
Alex Sherman, PT
Alexander Sherman founded and leads Federal Injury Specialists. He earned his physical therapy degree at the State University of New York at Buffalo and has been a licensed New York physical therapist since 2000. Over more than two decades in hospital-based and outpatient clinics he has specialized in orthopedics, sports injuries, arthritis management, workplace ergonomics, postural re-education and injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents — the same mechanisms behind most federal work injuries, from a letter carrier's shoulder to a VA nurse's lower back.
Working with patients of all ages taught Mr. Sherman the importance of one-on-one care. Every federal employee treated at the clinic receives an individualized treatment plan matched to his or her diagnosis and the physical demands of the job. He continues his education through courses in the latest therapeutic techniques, and he is fluent in Russian.
Education & Licensure
- Physical Therapy — State University of New York at Buffalo
- Licensed Physical Therapist, State of New York (since 2000)
Clinical Focus
- Orthopedic and work-injury rehabilitation
- Workplace ergonomics and postural re-education
- Return-to-work conditioning for physically demanding federal jobs
- Languages: English, Russian
Charles Andola, PA-C
Charles M. Andola is a certified physician assistant who built his expertise in surgical trauma and orthopedics early in his career. Before becoming a PA he worked in emergency medicine as an EMT and paramedic — experience that led him to specialize in injury cases and patients needing immediate care after trauma. He completed his master's degree in Physician Assistant Studies at Albany Medical College in 2009.
Throughout his PA career Charles has worked primarily with surgical patients, most of them in need of orthopedic, spine or trauma surgery, and he brings that surgical-team experience together with post-operative care planning. At Federal Injury Specialists he sees OWCP patients for follow-up visits under Dr. Liu's supervision, monitors recovery, and helps keep duty-status and treatment documentation current with the Department of Labor.
Education & Certification
- Bachelor of Science — Cornell University
- Master's Degree, Physician Assistant Studies — Albany Medical College (2009)
- Certified Physician Assistant (PA-C)
- Prior experience as EMT & Paramedic
Clinical Focus
- Orthopedic, spine and trauma follow-up care
- Post-operative care planning
- OWCP progress documentation and duty-status updates
Francy Abraham
Francy Abraham graduated with her Bachelor's in Physical Therapy in 2005 from Dr. MGR Medical University in Chennai (Madras), India. She began her career at Madras Medical Mission hospital providing chest and limb physical therapy in pediatric and adult ICUs for pre- and post-operative cardiac patients, and also treated renal-transplant and IVF patients. She worked with the YMCA Madras helping athletes through their recovery.
Francy moved to New York in 2009, practicing at a nursing home in Tarrytown and then for five years in an assisted-living and dementia unit in Yonkers before joining the team at our Riverdale clinic, where she manages sports injuries and restorative and maintenance physical therapy for adult, geriatric and pediatric patients. OWCP patients consistently single her out in their reviews. Off the clock she plays cricket for Westchester's Blue Rebels, where she is vice-captain and team physical therapist.
Education
- Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy — Dr. MGR Medical University, Chennai, India (2005)
Clinical Focus
- Sports and orthopedic injury rehabilitation
- Restorative and maintenance physical therapy
- Cardiac and post-surgical rehabilitation background
What OWCP Patients Say About Our Team
"The staff is extremely knowledgeable about the OWCP process and has been incredibly helpful with all the paperwork and forms. They always take the time to make sure everything is completed properly and submitted on time. Francy is an amazingly skilled clinician and has wonderful hands."
"I am a retired federal employee who was seeking excellent quality of care and I am definitely receiving it. Alex has established a warm, safe, healing environment. The physical therapy staff is numerous and very attentive. I feel safe here and feel pain relief after all treatments."
"Staff are very professional, friendly and knowledgeable in their field. They have a very clean and organized facility that makes you feel like home. Progressive exercises and training that help you recover from your injury."
Visiting Federal Injury Specialists in Riverdale, Bronx
Our clinic is located at 531 West 235th Street in the Riverdale / Kingsbridge section of the Bronx, a short walk from the 231st Street and 238th Street stations on the 1 train and close to the Henry Hudson Parkway and Broadway. We serve federal employees from every Bronx neighborhood, Inwood and Washington Heights in Manhattan, Yonkers and all of Westchester County.
The facility houses physician exam rooms and a full physical therapy gym under one roof, so an OWCP evaluation, a follow-up and a therapy session can happen at the same address. Patients describe it as clean, organized and welcoming — and our front desk and case manager are used to answering the questions federal employees have about forms, authorizations and deadlines.
- Mon–Fri 8:30 AM–5:00 PM · Sat 9:00 AM–3:30 PM
- Call (718) 432-1323 · Text (347) 697-5583
- English and Russian spoken
- Accepting new OWCP patients
Frequently Asked Questions About Federal Injury Specialists
The questions federal employees ask most often about who we are and how the clinic works. For questions about the OWCP process itself, see our full FAQ.
📞 Call (718) 432-1323+Is Federal Injury Specialists a physical therapy clinic or a medical practice?
Both, integrated. It is a physician-led medical practice — Eugene Liu, MD, is the Medical Director and attending physician — with a full physical therapy department led by owner Alex Sherman, PT. That structure matters under FECA, which requires a qualified physician to direct care and sign the reports OWCP relies on, and covers physical therapy only when that physician prescribes it.
+Who is the attending physician on my OWCP claim?
Eugene Liu, MD. He performs your evaluation, establishes the diagnosis and causal relationship, prescribes treatment and signs the physician portions of Forms CA-16, CA-17 and CA-20. Charles Andola, PA-C, sees you for follow-up visits under Dr. Liu's supervision.
+Is the clinic enrolled with the Department of Labor?
Yes. Federal Injury Specialists is enrolled with the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs. Authorized treatment on an accepted FECA claim is billed directly to OWCP, so there are no co-pays or out-of-pocket costs to you.
+Do you treat patients who are not federal employees?
Federal Injury Specialists is dedicated to federal workers' compensation (DOL / OWCP) cases. If you are not a federal employee, call (718) 432-1323 and our front desk will point you to the right care.
+Which federal agencies' employees do you see?
All of them. Our patients include USPS letter carriers, clerks and mail handlers; VA employees, including staff of the James J. Peters VA Medical Center in the Bronx; TSA officers; CBP, ICE, FBI, U.S. Marshals and Bureau of Prisons personnel; Department of Defense civilians; and employees of SSA, IRS, HUD, EPA, GSA and other agencies.
+Do you speak Russian?
Yes. Alex Sherman, PT, our owner and clinical director, is fluent in Russian, and we regularly treat Russian-speaking federal employees from the Bronx, Upper Manhattan and Westchester.
Injured on the Job as a Federal Employee? Let's Get Your OWCP Claim Documented Right.
Request an appointment online or call our Bronx front desk. Our team will confirm your visit, tell you exactly what to bring, and take it from there.