DBA Lawyer: The Process of Filing a Defense Base Act Claim

Jul 28, 2022 | Defense Base Act

Are you a defense contractor or interpreter suffering from injuries from your time overseas? If these injuries were caused while working at a U.S. military base or embassy overseas, you may be eligible for compensation.

The Defense Base Act (DBA) is the Act that governs how an injured party like yourself can seek to recover your damages for injuries. Read on to learn about the process of filing a claim through your DBA lawyer.

Notification and Filing of LS-201 Form

Although a DBA claim is like a workers’ compensation matter, the process for making a DBA claim is a lot different. When you first suffer an injury, you need to notify your supervisor or another manager.

This puts your employer on notice that you suffered an injury and they can begin investigating it further. The next step is to complete an LS-201 Form. This is a formal document you file with the U.S. Workers’ Compensation Programs.

In an LS-201 form, you will provide your background information as well as important facts about the incident and the names of any others involved.

Seek Timely Medical Treatment

You should start treating with a doctor or other medical professional as soon as you are injured on the job. This helps you to start the record-keeping process from a medical standpoint while also helping to avoid more serious complications.

Your doctor will evaluate you to place limitations or exclusions on your workload. These limitations caused by your injuries will help to form the basis of your DBA claim.

Receive Compensation for Your Injuries

When your employer and their insurance company receive notice of your DBA claim, they should begin the process of evaluating your request. Sometimes, your employer or their insurance company will come to a fair resolution that compensates you for your injuries without dispute.

The vast majority of cases will require you to hire a DBA attorney with experience in this field. Since DBA claims are such a narrow area of the law, you should only hire a firm with lawyers that specialize in this area.

Your lawyer will advocate for you at meetings and throughout the DBA claim process. They will also communicate with you regularly so that you know where your claim stands at all times.

Hire a DBA Lawyer for Your Claims

The injuries you suffer while working on a U.S. base or embassy overseas can have life-changing consequences. The severity of your injuries can limit your enjoyment of life and ability to earn a living.

Hiring a DBA lawyer to represent you in your claims helps to even the playing field. That’s because your employer or their insurance company will also have counsel.

At Barnes Law Firm, based in Houston, Texas, we have years of experience making DBA claims for victims like you. We use this experience to help you recover a fair settlement for your injuries.