Have you suffered an injury or contracted an illness as a result of your work with the United States Military or Government? If yes, you don’t have to suffer in silence or without reprieve. The Defense Base Act (DBA) gives workers compensation for work-related injuries and illnesses to civilian contractors, even if you’re not a US citizen.
All you have to do to make a successful claim is follow the proper procedure, and Barnes Law Firm is here to show you how. Read the rest of this brief guide for a step-by-step guide to Defense Base Act claims.
Report the Injury
The first step to a successful claim is reporting an incident as soon as it occurs. Ensure that your supervisor records the incident, and be sure also to have your own copy of the incident report or a recording of your report. A supervisor failing or refusing to record such an incident is a severe violation of the law and can be challenged.
The official form you should fill out is called an LS-201 form. Attach information about what kind of injury or illness it is and the time of the incident to the form. However, keep the original copies of any doctor’s notes and other evidence.
Seek Immediate Treatment
Visiting a doctor as soon as possible gives you a better chance of getting healthy and gives you the most accurate evidence regarding the extent of your injury. This step includes psychiatric evaluation if you’ve had to live through something traumatic in your line of duty.
Your Defense Base Act lawyer will be able to use “fresher” evidence much more effectively if there’s a dispute. This way, you get a better chance at winning and a more fair compensation.
Find a Defense Base Act Attorney
Once you’ve reported and recorded your injury, get ahold of a DBA lawyer or law firm. Ideally, your DBA attorney will only need to help you stay within the strict deadlines set by the Department of Labour and the DBA. A good lawyer never lets the time run out on a statute of limitations.
Having a relationship with a DBA lawyer will also give you someone to turn to if your claim gets denied. Your DBA lawyer can help you through the appeal process and fight for you if the matter needs to be mediated or litigated.
Don’t Let Your Defense Base Act Claims Fail
The process described above should all happen within a few days. Defense Base Act claims frequently fail because claimants miss deadlines or lack the proper evidence. We don’t want that to happen to you.
Be sure to report the incident to your supervisor as soon as the incident occurs and get prompt medical treatment. Also, ensure that there’s a thick paper trail your DBA attorneys can use to your advantage.
At Barnes, we see getting justice for injured employees in Texas and abroad as our highest calling. Reach out to us today if you want the best legal representation.