What to Do If Your Defense Base Act Claim Is Denied

What to Do If Your Defense Base Act Claim Is Denied

Jun 14, 2020 | Defense Base Act

So, you filed a defense base act claim and realized that it was denied.

Now you’re trying to figure out what your next move is and how you can still hope to receive some kind of benefit after the claim denial.

In this article, we’re going to let you know what DBA claims are and provide an overview of DBA insurance and what it does. Continue reading to find out everything that you need to know.

What Is a Defense Base Act Claim?

The Defense Base Act is an act that was passed to protect United States workers that are working outside of the country in case they face injury during their employment. Essentially, it is a type of worker’s compensation to cover those outside of the country.

Much like workers’ compensation, it is designed to help provide financial aid as well as a necessary treatment for workers until they can return to work following the accident. Typically claims that are made correlate to wages that are lost due to being out of work.

Defense Base Act Insurance

There are many benefits that a worker may receive if they are covered under the DBA insurance umbrella. Employees that are injured or even killed because of work-related injuries may be entitled to coverage for:

  • All medical needs
  • Coverage in the case of disability keeping them from working
  • Compensation for death-related bills

However, when receiving benefits, you’re only able to earn earnings that equal half of the full salary you were getting while working.

Reasons Why Your Claim Was Denied

There are a couple of reasons why your Defense Base Act claim may have been denied. The first is that you’re still able to work. If you can still work or aren’t able to provide enough evidence of an injury, then your claim may be denied.

Another reason that your claim may be denied is that you either didn’t need or didn’t seek medical attention. This is why, at the beginning of the process, a qualified doctor to examine you is critical. Without certified medical evidence, it can make proving your case challenging.

Lastly, if you’re unable to prove that the injury was caused and took place at your workplace, the claim may be denied. It is crucial that you fill out the correct forms.

What to Do After Denial

You must have an attorney representing you because when your claim is denied, they will need to file documentation requesting an appeal of the claim. Your lawyer will require that you provide them with all of the evidence that you have if you haven’t already done so. 

Ensuring that all documentation has been turned over to your attorney may help provide additional evidence during your appeal process. Another thing that your attorney can fight for is the increase in monetary aid. There are times when the benefits provided may not be enough, and to have it increased will take expertise on your attorney’s part.

Was Your Claim Denied?

The defense base act stretches beyond the borders of the country to cover employees that have ventured outside of its parameters. But, there are times when that coverage doesn’t provide the relief it’s intended to provide. 

If you require an attorney to represent you contact us today and put our expertise to work.