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Your work supporting U.S. military bases overseas matters, but it’s certainly not without risk to your physical health and safety. When you’ve been injured on the job, you likely have a lot of questions. In this important role, you don’t qualify for workers’ comp benefits through regular channels, like the New Jersey workers’ compensation system. Instead, getting the benefits you deserve requires you to go through procedures outlined under federal law. The New Jersey Defense Base Act lawyers at Team Law can identify the next steps and move your claim forward.
The claims process can be a hassle, especially for complicated matters like yours. Let us pursue the benefits you deserve while you focus on recovery. To get started with a free consultation, contact us today.
The Defense Base Act (DBA) is federal law, so it covers not only maritime workers from New Jersey but workers from all across the country employed on U.S. military bases outside the United States.
The DBA is an extension of another federal act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA). Maritime workers performing work that supports the Armed Forces on military bases and similar environments outside the U.S. turn to this law for protection in the event of an injury on the job.
Just because the Defense Base Act establishes your right to compensation as an injured worker doesn’t mean getting that compensation is easy. For many injured maritime workers, seeking benefits under the DBA means facing obstacle after obstacle. Team Law’s New Jersey Defense Base Act lawyers routinely guide injured workers through this process, so our repertoire is filled with the skills to confront the setbacks that leave you frustrated.
Solid documentation of your injuries, how they occurred, and the care needed to diagnose and treat them is an important part of any work injury claim. In complicated claims like yours, documenting absolutely everything is essential. Team Law is known for our thorough approach. By supporting every aspect of your claim for compensation with all the evidence an employer or insurer could possibly demand, we begin building your case for success early on.
Dealing with work injuries is difficult enough when you’re close to home. Workers covered under the Defense Base Act may be on the other side of the world, trying to navigate the legal process and get care without their loved ones there to support them. Our role as your Defense Base Act injury attorneys in Clark, NJ, isn’t just to file paperwork and provide representation in hearings. We’re your advocate and your guide, ready to provide compassionate support throughout this challenging time.
Attempting to handle a work injury claim under the Defense Base Act on your own will likely leave you with a great deal of frustration and, potentially, less than the full amount of benefits you’re entitled to.
With Team Law in your corner, you can focus on your recovery while we manage all aspects of the claims process for you.
The advantages we bring to your claim include:
For complex legal matters involving work injuries on overseas military sites, you need seasoned New Jersey Defense Base Act lawyers who understand the intricate details of legal rights and procedures under this federal law. Team Law has more than 60 years of experience practicing law and a long history of helping injured workers claim the full extent of benefits available to them.
Throughout our firm’s history, we’ve developed a reputation for advocating for individuals, not protecting the profits of corporations. We went into law to help people, and that’s exactly what we do by pursuing the maximum amount of compensation injured workers and their families deserve.
In a complicated work injury case, such as a DBA claim, the details matter. Our thorough approach to documenting all aspects of your work injury and damages helps streamline the claims process, reduce the likelihood of claim delays and denials due to missed documentation, and address any obstacles that arise.
If you’re concerned about the cost of professional legal representation, let us ease your mind. Team Law assists injured workers with their claims for compensation on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing for our services until we succeed in getting you financial compensation. Initiating a Defense Base Act work injury claim begins with a free, no-obligation consultation.
When injured in the course of working on a military defense base overseas, it’s essential that you receive the full benefits you’re entitled to. We’re here to help make that happen while minimizing the legal hassles that could distract you from your physical recovery.
For help from Defense Base Act injury attorneys in Clark, NJ, contact Team Law online or call us today.
When you have sustained a serious injury, you need to get medical care promptly.
If possible, report the work injury to a supervisor, request the proper paperwork for authorizing medical treatment, and then go see a doctor. In emergency situations, seek medical care right away, but make sure you report the accident to your employer and fill out the necessary paperwork as soon as you can.
Given the complex nature of DBA work injury claims, you’re better off not stumbling through the claims process on your own. Schedule a free consultation with our New Jersey Defense Base Act lawyers to help you understand your rights and obligations and prepare for the challenges of the claims process. It costs you nothing to talk to an attorney about your claim and what to expect from the process.
As an injured worker, your DBA benefits include:
-Medical treatment for your injuries by the physician you choose
-Compensation for any lost wages arising out of total disability, typically calculated at two-thirds of your average weekly earnings
-Compensation for partial loss of earnings if you are able to work but not at your full capacity and have diminished earnings as a result
-Permanent total disability benefits when the injuries prevent you from ever returning to work
-In fatal work accidents, death benefits that include funeral expenses and lost wages paid to the deceased worker’s dependants
Making sure that you receive the full extent of damages you’re entitled to through the Defense Base Act can turn into a time-consuming, often frustrating ordeal. Let our Defense Base Act injury attorneys in Clark, NJ, handle this matter for you, drawing on our decades of experience to navigate the claims process and address any issues that arise.
Generally, the Defense Base Act applies to civilian contractors and employees injured in the course of their work in the following situations:
-Working for a private employer on a U.S. military base or land used for military purposes outside of the United States
-Working for a United States government agency under a public work contract that pertains to national defense or war activities outside the U.S.
-Working outside the U.S. on contracts funded by the United States under the Foreign Assistance Act
-Working outside the U.S. for an American employer in any role that provides welfare services in support of the Armed Services
-Being transported to or from any work environment by either the United States government or an employer as established above
Like the LHWCA, of which the DBA is an extension, this federal law does not apply to seamen, described in the law as “a master or member of a crew of any vessel.” Injured seamen would instead need to seek benefits under the Jones Act. Other exceptions also apply.
There are a lot of nuances in the law that can leave injured workers wondering whether they qualify for benefits through the LHWCA, the DBA, the Jones Act, or some other regulations or workers’ compensation program. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of legal loopholes through which an employer or its insurer may attempt to minimize or deny claim payouts. Having experienced New Jersey Defense Base Act lawyers to guide your path to compensation can ensure you’re seeking benefits through the appropriate program and meeting all requirements necessary to secure the compensation you deserve.
Even in the most straightforward work injury claims, setbacks are common when employers or their insurers dispute whether an injury was really work-related, whether the medical care being sought is necessary, and what the extent of the injured employee’s damages are. Cases for benefits under the Defense Base Act, however, can get even more complicated.
If, for example, you have changed employers but continue to work on defense bases and other covered environments or activities, you could find yourself caught in arguments between your current and prior employers or their insurers. While these parties argue over which employer constitutes the last responsible party, making them legally liable under the law, you’re anxiously waiting for the benefits you need.
The nature of your injuries also matters when seeking benefits under the Defense Base Act. Regulations treat occupational diseases and traumatic injuries differently, which makes complete documentation of the harm you suffered and a thorough understanding of the law even more important.
Our experienced Defense Base Act injury attorneys in Clark, NJ, can handle all of the hassles that go along with the claims process, from the routine documentation of your accident and injuries to sorting out matters of disputed employer responsibility.
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