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"We go to battle for you..."
Van Riper and Nies leaves no stone unturned in prosecuting DBA claims for our clients.
Our trial attorneys, Tim Nies, a U.S. Army Ranger veteran of the
elite 75th Ranger Regiment, and a former insurance company casualty trial attorney, and Christian Van Riper, a former felony prosecutor, are uniquely qualified and experienced in representing injured civilian contractors under the Def
ense Base Act before the U.S. Department of Labor. Although our offices are in Florida, our attorneys are qualified to practice in Defense Base Act litigation nationwide, as permitted by the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, as extended by the Defense Base Act.
Tim sustained a line-of-duty injury during a parachute mission with the U.S. Army's elite 75th Ranger Regiment. Thereafter, he underwent months of rehabilitation in Fort Benning, Georgia, but unfortunately was unable to stay in the 75th Ranger Regiment. Soon after being medically discharged from the U.S. Army, Tim attended law school. Being a military veteran, Tim, more than most other attorneys, knows what it is like to sustain a life-changing injury, to overcome the injury and to provide for his family. Tim considers himself lucky. After his knee injury, the Army and then the VA took good care of him. He was able to attend law school on the GI Bill. Given his military experience, he tenaciously fights for military contractors, who are often seriously injured, then sent back to the U.S. with no compensation and no medical care. Tim was recently selected by Nova Southeastern University to be the guest speaker on Veteran Affairs and the GI Bill. He also recently published the article: 10 Tips on Filing a Defense Base Act Claim.
It is important to understand the history of the Defense Base Act. In 1940, the United States began building and expanding military bases overseas in preparation for the growing possibility of war with Japan and Germany. To make sure that the American civilians working overseas had coverage for injuries, the U.S. Congress created the Defense Base Act, which was passed in 1941. The law, intended as a temporary measure for World War II, was only 2,000 words long. Essentially, it said that contractors working overseas had to purchase insurance similar to that required by the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, passed in 1927.
At the present, civilian military contractors have played a critical role in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, providing security, assisting FAST teams, delivering supplies, fuel and water to frontline troops, guarding U.S. diplomats and translating for soldiers and marines in treacherous raids. More than 1,400 civilian workers have died and 32,000 have been wounded or injured in the two war zones.
In accordance with the U.S. Defense Base Act, these civilian contractors, both Americans and foreigners, are to receive workers' compensation benefits. However, the truth is that civilian workers who suffered devastating injuries while supporting the U.S. war effort in Afghanistan and Iraq have come home to a grinding battle for basic medical care, artificial limbs, psychological counseling and other services. The civilians have to fight a federally supervised insurance system marked by high costs and excessive delays. The lawyers at our firm are aggressive and proactive in their fight against these insurance companies who regularly and wrongfully deny claims of their injured clients.
If you were injured overseas for a company under a U.S. Government contract, compensation under the Defense Base Act may not be your only recourse. In some instances, someone other than your employer shares responsibility, such as another military contractor or manufacturer of a weapon or machinery. We will pursue all responsible persons or entities on your behalf.
Our attorneys know how to find all possible avenues of compensation for your injury, and we are not afraid to take on major companies and insurers like Chartis and CNA.
For a free consultation, and for more information about our Defense Base Act practice, please call us at 772-283-8712, complete the form below, or email Tim Nies directly at tim@vanriperandnies.com.
Headquarters: 900 SE Ocean Boulevard, Suite 140-E, Stuart, FL 34994
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The Defense Base Act (DBA) attorneys at our workers' compensation and personal injury law firm represent private military contractors injured in Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout the world. From our law offices, our workers compensation attorneys, experienced in litigating Defense Base Act claims, represent private military contractors throughout the United States, including private military contractors residing in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, New York, New Jersey, Colorado, Virginia, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio. Our attorneys represent injured contractors in North Carolina and South Carolina. Medical Benefits under the Defense Base Act: Physician Selection is with the contractor. Complete text of the Defense Base Act. Our counselors assist employees working under a U.S. government contractor overseas obtain DBA monetary compensation for back injury sustained in wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. D.B.A. claim attorneys in Florida.
Our U.S. workers comp Defense Base Act lawyers assist claimants file their claim, including the LS-203, and other DBA forms including the LS-18. Our workers comp attorney, Timothy Nies, is a military veteran himself, having served with the U.S. Army Rangers. Our Defense Base Act lawyers represent claimants at the Department of Labor, for Defense Base Act claims against KBR, Blackwater, Xe, SOC-SMG, Haliburton, and against their DBA insurance companies, usually Chartis, CNA, Zurich or ACE insurance. Our Defense Base Act law firm represents injured military contractors under the D.B.A. who live in Georgia, North Carolina, Colorado, Utah, South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, and throughout the world, including England, Mexico, Uganda, Kenya and Australia. Defense Base Act attorneys in FL. Department of Labor Defense Base Act Slides. Iraq War inuries.
Our workers comp attorneys can assist you in filing LS-201 and LS-203 forms for Defense Base Act claims against companies such as CNA, Chartis and ACE. Our lawyers help civilian contractors injured overseas while working for a U.S. contractor, such as KBR or DynCorp. Our Defense Base Act workers compensation attorneys, with experience in DBA claims, assist clients with Iraq war injuries, Defense Base Act injuries in the Philippines, KBR injuries, Blackwater injuries and SEII injuries and death claims. Our Defense Base Act litigators will assist you with filing an LS-203 for an injury under the Defense Base Act (DBA) and prepare extensively for hearings before the OALJ. Filing a claim under the USA Defense Base Act. Coverage for injuries sustained in Iraq, Afghanistan. Defense Base Act forms.
Through our Florida law offices, our attorney experienced with Defense Base Act claims under the DOL and OWCP represent injured workers of KBR, DynCorp, SOC, ITT, Xe and others who live throughout the United States. Our DBA attorneys represent contractors injured in Afghanistan and Iraq in electrical accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, electrocutions, and IED attacks. Our DBA attorneys help clients who have sustained back injuries, PTSD, neck injuries, vision injuries and represent contractors injured due to burn pits. Our Defense Base Act Attorneys: Timothy Nies and Christian Van Riper are experienced and knowledgeable of the claim procedure to filing an injury claim under the Defense Base Act, as extended by the Longshore Act.
DBA Coverage for relief workers injured in Japan for contractors employed by U.S. agencies. Defense Base Act - Japan injuries of workers injured working on reactors. Defense Base Act coverage for radiation injuries sustained while working on nuclear reactors or around nuclear reactors.
Scheduled injuries include injuries to the legs, arms, fingers, toes, eye (one), hearing. All other injuries are unscheduled injuries, and include injuries to: back, neck, brain, head, shoulder, hip, among others.
The Defense Base Act (DBA) is a workers’ compensation program administered by the United States Dept. of Labor - Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP). The DBA is an extension of the Longshore Act, and provides for compensation and medical care to employees disabled from injuries that occur while working under federal contracts on military bases, occupied territories, and certain other overseas locations. The Defense Base Act also provides benefits to specific survivors and dependents if the injury causes the employee's death. The term "injury" includes occupational disease arising out of employment. DOL Defense Base Act Employment Law Guide. Afghanistan war injuries. Medical benefits under the Act. With few exceptions, compensation and medical care is provided to military contractors in a war zone for any type of injury, whether on the clock working or not. For example, coverage is provided is a contractor is injured while exercising. PMC is responsible for providing medical care to employees injured in a war zone. DBA litigation help. Maritime Injury Lawyers: Van Riper and Nies Attorneys.
The Act covers workers employed in most occupations and under most federal contracts, including any subcontractor or subordinate contract, except where waived by the U.S. Department of Labor. The DOL agrees to waive the application of the DBA only where a local alternative workers’ compensation program applies. Where to file a claim under the Defense Base Act for injuries sustained overseas. OWCP Defense Base Act claims. Florida injury lawyers: Van Riper and Nies Attorneys at Law.
Disabled employees receive monetarty compensation under the Defense Base Act at the rate of 66 2/3 percent of the employee’s average weekly wage, subject to specified weekly maximum rates, for as long as the effects of the injury continue. Compensation is also available for certain permanent impairments. Compensation benefits are paid to a surviving spouse at the rate of 50 percent of the average weekly wage, and if there are surviving children, an additional 16 2/3 percent is payable on their behalf. Van Riper and Nies Attorneys, P.A. fights hard for the rights, under the DBA, of employees under Private military companies, such as KBR, XE (Blackwater) or Halliburton.
If any installment of compensation payable without an award is not paid within 14 days after it becomes due, an additional 10 percent may be added to the unpaid installment. OWCP may excuse the employer’s failure to pay timely if the employer contacts OWCP and demonstrates that payment could not be made within the prescribed time period due to conditions beyond the employer’s control, especially in the case of foreign claims due to uncontrollable circumstances of communications, distance, access to remote locations, and war zone conditions. If any compensation payable under an award is not paid within 10 days after it becomes due, an additional 20 percent may be added to the unpaid installment. Private military contractor injury help.
Our trial attorneys represent military contractors injured overseas at military bases and while working for private military companies (PMCs) such as Xe, Halliburton, KBR, Dyncorp International, Global Risk International, ISI Group, Triple Canopy and many others.
Our workers' compensation law firm assist military contractors with claims involving herniated disks, shoulder injury, ACL tears, RSD, head injuries, cervical injuries, PTSD and many others. If you sustained an injury while working overseas for KBR, Halliburton, Xe, Blackstone, Custer Battles, SEII, DefenseSecurity, Northbridge Security Group, Aegis, LS, Titan, Triple Canopy, Inc., and many others.Private Military Contractors eligible for Defense Base Act coverage include, but not limited to: Private military contractors or workers on a U.S. military base or reservation outside the USA; Public workers funded by the U.S. government for work outside the U.S.; Public workers, or those with a military contract from a foreign government, engaged in work deemed necessary to the national security of the United States.