Barnett, Lerner, Karsen, Frankel & Castro, P.A. is the world's largest law firm representing civilian contractors injured overseas and covered under the Defense Base Act.  We are the premier litigation firm with over 150 years combined experience.  The attorneys in our firm have been instrumental in defining the law through vigorous advocacy and litigation of claims.


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DBA Injury Claims


Barnett Lerner et al focuses on representing injured workers covered under the Defense Base Act, local Longshoreman, crew members and individuals covered under State law.Civilian contractors, injured while working overseas, are covered under the Defense Base Act. (DBA) The DBA’s process...


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Burn Pit Claims


Civilian contractors, working overseas and covered under the Defense Base Act, may have been exposed to toxins from burn pits during their employment. Unfortunately, most of these claims have been denied by Employer/Carriers, forcing injured workers to prove their condition was caused...


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Camp Lejeune Claims


From 1953 to 1987, contaminated drinking water at North Carolina’s U.S. Marine Corp Base Camp Lejeune put hundreds of thousands of people at risk for cancer and other serious illnesses. Two of the eight wells at Camp Lejeune were contaminated with harmful chemicals known to cause cancer...


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Who We Are

About The Firm



Our Story

Barnett, Lerner, Karsen, Frankel & Castro, P.A. was founded in 1995 by David C. Barnett, Esq., and Barry R. Lerner, Esq.   Over nearly three decades the firm has grown and expanded.   Beginning in 2010, Mr. Barnett and Mr. Lerner realized the need to expand with experienced attorneys.  Brian Karsen, Sam Frankel, and Ana Castro joined the firm, bringing vast experience to the practice.  Mr. Karsen, Mr. Frankel and Ms. Castro became named partners and the firm continued growing by adding two additional partners: Ms. Alvarez and Mr. Zobec.    Currently the firm has 8 attorneys who exclusively represent plaintiffs.  Since members of the firm have prior experience representing employers and carriers, our attorneys have strategic trial and litigation advantages over employers and carriers and they use this knowledge to benefit our clients.

Since inception, the firm has been committed to litigation excellence.  While other firms practice law, Barnett Lerner has helped define the law through our extensive litigation and appellate history.  Our attorneys have vast, extensive experience representing employees and we fight to ensure their legal rights are protected.  Members of the firm are viewed as leaders in their field and most have been published, spoken at educational conferences and led legal associations.

The firm represents civilian contractors throughout the world; regardless of nationality and we have a national litigation presence.  The attorneys in the firm have litigated hundreds of cases and have handled appeals in numerous State and Federal jurisdictions throughout the United States.  Many of the firm appeals have been published and serve as legal authority.

The BLKFC family's mission is to tirelessly advocate for clients with honest and creative collaboration and curious skepticism to provide quality representation that exceeds expectations.  To learn more about the experience of each member of the firm, please review their bios.

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Have You Been Injured Overseas As A Civilian Contractor?

You may be eligible for considerable compensation. Please contact our firm today to deal with the largest law firm representing civilian contractors injured overseas and covered under the Defense Base Act.

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Our Attorneys

David C. Barnett, Esq.

David C. Barnett, Esq. is the founding and managing partner of Barnet...

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Barry R. Lerner, Esq.

Barry R. Lerner, Esq. is also a founding partner of Barnett, Lerner...

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Brian C. Karsen, Esq.

Brian C. Karsen, Esq. is a partner in Barnett, Lerner, Karsen...

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Samuel S. Frankel, Jr., Esq.

Mr. Frankel began practicing law in 1998, and has significant...

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Ana M. Castro, Esq.

Prior to joining Barnett, Lerner, Karsen & Frankel, P.A., Ms. Castro...

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Chase Zobec, Esq.

Chase Zobec was born and raised in Florida. He continued his education...

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Ana C. Alvarez, Esq.

Ana Alvarez, a lawyer here, was born in Bogota, Colombia, and was...

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What We Do

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    Contact Information

    We are a knowledgeable and dedicated team that will do all that we can to make sure you receive the justice that you deserve. No case is too small or too big. Your case is important to you and that makes it important to us. Work with a team that has your best interests in mind.


    • (954) 920-7400

      Call us today, we would love to hear from you.

    • mail@barnettandlerner.com

      Email us today and someone will get back to you shortly.

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    • Main Office Address

      2860 Marina Mile Blvd. #105, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

    • Washington DC Office

      616 E Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20004