For individuals, businesses, and institutions seeking information on The Defense Base Act, injuredoverseas.com is a valuable resource. News outlets have discovered as much, utilizing the law website in a recent story covering the plight of Doctors Without Borders for international support in the wake of the bombing of a hospital in Afghanistan. In seeking to share information about the Defense …
Unseen Casualties: RAND Corporation Study Examines the Mental and Physical Health Outcomes for Contractors Deployed to Conflict Zones
When a nation goes to war, uniformed military personnel are not the only people contributing to the effort, even in the zone of combat itself. While the deployment of private contractors in the company of military forces is hardly a new development – early artillery of the 16th century was kept supplied and even crewed by civilian contractors until the …
Employees of US Contractors Who Die Abroad From “Unnatural” Causes Entitled to Benefits Under the Defense Base Act
According to a recent piece in BloombergBusiness, over 8,000 American citizens died from unnatural causes while traveling abroad during the past ten years. The cause of many of these deaths are rather ordinary. Accidents lead the list in Canada, car accidents are the top cause in much of South America, motorcycle accidents are the top killer in Vietnam, Indonesia, and …
Defense Base Act (DBA) May Provide Compensation for Victims Employed Doing Work for the U.S. Government
The tragic case of Kayla Mueller, the American aid worker kidnapped by ISIS and repeatedly sexually assaulted by its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, highlights the dangers facing overseas aid and relief workers. Sadly, reporting by the UK Guardian demonstrates that Mueller’s case, though shocking in its extremity, is hardly unique. While the true extent of the problem is hard to …
U.S. Law Provides for Compensation to Persons Contracted by the United States to Provide Relief Work Abroad
The country of Nepal was devastated by earthquakes on April 25 and May 12 of this year. Over 8,000 people were killed and over 14,000 injured. More than 530,000 buildings destroyed. The U.S. Government has provided aid and assistance equaling almost $47,000,000 in aid as of May 19. In any major relief effort, however, more than dollars flow across borders: …
Contractors in a Conflict Zone: The Defense Base Act
The rise of ISIS in Iraq has prompted renewed U.S. involvement in military operations there, including the deployment of limited numbers of American troops. The deployment of personnel to such a volatile and dangerous locale as Iraq is likely to produce injuries and, unfortunately, casualties. Naturally, we think in terms of military personnel when considering such dangers. But soldiers, saliors, …
Defense Base Act – What Is It? Does It Matter to You?
To View On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXzhrHBG_dA Upon hearing the words “Defense Base Act” you might assume that it applies to those in the military or working on national defense. In reality, it affects many people doing all kinds of work–including you. The Defense Base Act is a tool to protects civilian contractors working throughout the world pursuant to U.S. government contracts. …
DBA Newsletter – September 2015
What is a Stipulation? By Samuel Frankel, Esq. The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, and its extensions, such as the Defense Base Act and the Non-Appropriated Funds Instrumentalities Act, are the federal version of workers’ compensation. As a workers’ compensation law, these Acts require Employers and their insurance Carriers to provide medical and lost wage benefits to covered employees …
New Non-Profit, Patriot Placements, Launches to Assist Military Veterans with Job Opportunities
Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Date, 2015) – Brian C. Karsen, Esq., a partner at Barnett, Lerner, Karsen & Frankel, P.A., is announcing his participation as one of the board members of the recent startup, Patriot Placements, a new 501(c) (3) organization focused on helping military veterans and their spouses obtain valuable opportunities for career placement and support. With a clear emphasis …
United States to Re-establish Full Embassy in Havana, Cuba
The United States has many embassies throughout the world that house diplomatic representatives within the territory of the host nation. While they are located in a host country, embassies have a special status as an extension of United States sovereignty. As a result of international tensions, the United States shuttered its embassy in the Republic of Cuba in 1961. Normalization …
Maritime Law – Understanding the Danger of Cruise Ship Crimes
Exploring the vast seas on a cruise can provide people with an opportunity to experience new sights and cultures. Unfortunately, as recent news reports have shown, cruise ships can come with their own perils. While one might not have to worry about having a cruise ship stall in the middle of a voyage, there are still plenty of hazards that …
Understanding Burn Pits in Afghanistan
When it comes to war, there are many different types of hazards that one can expect to encounter. From combat to natural disasters, there are plenty of things that can happen to service members while serving overseas. Unfortunately, while one would expect that preventable injuries are few and far between, there are some preventable injuries that can have long-lasting effects. …