Since the start of the war in Afghanistan from 2001 to this year, it is estimated that over 8,000 contractors have lost their lives. Thankfully, Defense Base Act claims have provided much-needed compensation to most of their surviving families, but not all.
Filing a claim for death benefits and hiring a DBA lawyer are two things you hope to never need, but to be without them could be costly. Continue reading to learn about how a Defense Base Act Attorney can help your family in the worst-case scenario.
What Are DBA Death Benefits?
Before departing for service, you’ll want to be sure to communicate with your spouse and dependents what DBA compensation benefits they are entitled to in your death. They’ll probably have many questions about DBA claims, but the most important information is that surviving spouses and children have benefit rights.
If you died while contracted and had no children, your spouse would receive 50% of your weekly pay or the maximum rate for the year. If you had a child with no legal spouse, then they would receive 50% of your weekly pay. For families with more than one beneficiary, the benefits they receive would be equivalent to 66.6% of your weekly pay.
Children with disabilities may get benefits for life, otherwise, the limit is 18 years old or 23 years old for students. If you claim your parents or grandparents as dependents, then they have a right to 25% of your average weekly pay. 20% of your weekly pay will also be given to any other dependents, such as siblings.
For contractors without dependents or legal families, the law does not entitle anyone else to funds.
Lawyers Can Help With Claim Filing
Filing a DBA claim involves time-sensitive paperwork such as an LS-201 submission within a month of death and a LS-262 within the time frame of a year.
A mistake on these forms or a missed deadline could lead to a delay or ultimate denial of the death benefit. This is where a Defense Base Act lawyer can help! They will check for accuracy before submission and also answer any questions your family has.
Do you want to know the best part about it? A DBA attorney often requires no out-of-pocket expense from clients and is typically covered by insurance or the former employer.
Lawyers Fight for Full Benefits
A DBA lawyer can also help in the unfortunate scenario where a DBA death claim is undervalued or denied.
It’s painful to lose a loved one, and lawyers will fight to make sure families get the benefits they need. Nitpicking insurance agents will find small errors or inconsistencies to negatively impact your death benefits. Having a DBA attorney on your side from start to finish will ensure the claim is fully paid out by utilizing their DBA claim experience and legal expertise.
Hire a Trusted DBA Lawyer
Death is an unfortunate possibility for civilian interpreters and contractors, but undervalued death benefits can be avoided.
To have someone on your family’s side in this event, trust in our experienced attorneys at Barnes Law Firm. We’ll fight for DBA claims and won’t stop until you or your family get the full benefits you have a right to! Contact us today for a no-cost consultation before hiring a DBA lawyer!