Defense Base Act lawyers assist in instances involving the Defense Base Act. What exactly is the Defense Base Act? It s an act passed in 1941 providing compensation to civilian contractors injured working abroad on American bases. The act itself is rather an extension of the Longshore and Harbor Workers' compensation Act, though it applies specifically to anyone employed by the federal government on U.S. military bases.
One might think that when a worker has been injured on a U.S. ship they would immediately contact a defense base act attorney to discuss benefits and rights. But this isn't always so. Often times, these wounded workers do not know that they have employment rights in the event of an injury. This means when an injury occurs they are often forced to take their employer to court to try and recoup any benefits or money they may be entitled too. Click here;barneslawfirm.com/ to learn more about law firm.
There are several areas in which this can occur. For example, if an employee is sick and requires hospital treatment that is not covered by the act, the employer may be forced to cover this cost. Again, in some cases the worker is simply unaware of the rights she may have when it comes to health benefits. Another way in which this can occur is if the person is transferred to a different part of the world and as a result suffers an injury in that new location that was not previously covered by the worker's original act injury notice. And of course, if an injury occurs while at sea or such places as a fishing port, and the worker is overseas at the time, U.S. benefits will not be paid.
However, there are also benefits to employees when working offshore. An employee can submit a claim to the insurance carrier, which will then cover the benefits. If benefits are awarded, they are often quite substantial, especially compared with the costs of overseas operations. The benefits under the act can include payment of lost income when a disabled worker returns to the U.S., and medical expenses that exceed out-of-pocket expenses by an estimated five thousand dollars for a one month period. Additionally, the act covers non-military employers that are involved with recruiting contractors from foreign countries. When an employee leaves a U.S. employer to take advantage of benefits available from another employer, this can often mean that the other employer is not covered by military regulations and will not be reimbursed for these costs. Learn more about Houston Personal Injury Lawyer | Nationwide Defense Base Act Attorney | Workers Compensation on this page.
So in essence, what these act compensation attorneys essentially provide is legal advice and assistance to their clients, while they prepare and file the appropriate claim forms. The attorney can assist the employee with making sure that all necessary paperwork is prepared and filed, and assisting with filing any necessary claims. In addition, the attorney can assist with the negotiation of any settlement agreements that may arise between the two sides. Finally, should the attorney to determine that a claim has been submitted properly, and there are no defenses to the case, he or she will represent the client and advise him or her of his or her options. However, should the attorney become disinterested or no longer have an interest in the case, he or she will advise his or her client to seek compensation through the department of defense. Check out this post for more details related to this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_Base_Act.
