Did you know that there are over two million people currently serving in the United States military? Unfortunately, in that line of work, people are likely going to get hurt along the way. 

When that happens, the people who are suffering are going to need coverage and compensation. That’s where a Defense Base Act attorney comes in. 

What is the Defense Base Act? How can Defense Base Act attorneys help you in this situation? 

This is your guide. 

What Is the Defense Base Act?

If you are familiar with workers’ compensation with regular employees, this is an extension of that. The Defense Base Act focuses on getting workers’ compensation for people who are active duty military personnel overseas or are working on a US military base overseas. 

This ensures that people who suffered injuries while working over there will get the coverage that they need. This can include disability benefits, medical benefits, and more. 

In other words, this act guarantees the right that military personnel gets coverage for their injuries when they return home. 

Do You Have to Pay for an Attorney? 

The next question that may come up is if those who are covered under the Defense Base Act have to pay for legal protection. The short answer to this is no. 

Typically, when it comes to a personal injury case like this outside of the military, lawyers would take a contingency fee. That means that they would get paid a percentage of the plaintiff’s settlement. 

When it comes to a Defense Base Act case, the plaintiff would not be paying the lawyer directly. Because they are protected by this act, the lawyer would be paid by the insurance carrier instead. 

So, a big benefit for someone covered under this act is that they would not have to worry about any legal fees whatsoever. 

Who Is Covered? 

So, who actually gets covered under this act? Well, as described above, the main people that benefit from this are any active duty military personnel that are on the job while overseas. This also applies to people who are working on military bases overseas or traveling to them. 

There are loopholes where people may not be covered. One of them could be if someone gets hurt while working domestically, even if they have worked overseas on a military base before. Other people that may get coverage from other protection acts also may not be eligible for this act. 

Hire a Defense Base Act Attorney

These are some of the protections and benefits that you get with a Defense Base Act attorney. If you are eligible, you can get the legal representation that you need without worrying about covering the costs out of your own pocket. 

Do you need a Houston lawyer that can help you get the compensation that you need? Contact us today to get started.