If you are a contractor who was injured in Iraq, Afghanistan or Kuwait and your case is covered by the Defense Base Act, what should you do if your benefits are denied? You need to contact a qualified Defense Base Act attorney. What your lawyer should do is file a claim, request an informal conference at the OWCP, get a hearing and get a favorable recommendation by the U.S. Department of Labor telling the insurance company to provide your benefits. If the insurance company refuses to accept the recommendation of the U.S. DOL, then your lawyer needs to bring that case to trial before the Office of Administrative Law Judges. If you do not win at trial at that level, your lawyer can appeal the denial to the Benefits Review Board.
Surprisingly, we are seeing many cases come in to our office where injured DBA Claimants are being represented by lawyers that do not even know the basic factors mentioned above. This is frightening to think that many DBA Claimants are being represented by lawyers that are not experienced in handling this type of case. Make sure you grill your lawyer and that he knows at least the basics mentioned above. If he does not, switch lawyers immediately. You owe it to yourself to get a competent Defense Base Act lawyer to handle your DBA case.
At the Law Offices of Gillis, Mermell & Pacheco, P.A., our qualified defense base act lawyers have a combination of over 43 years of experience in representing injured workers covered by the Defense Base Act and the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. Let us put our years of experience and our reputation to work for you today! Contact us today at mail@gmpcomplaw.com, or go on our website at www.dbalawyers.com and fill out our form on the contact us page, or call us at 305 595 3350.
If you have a question about your DBA or Longshore case, contact our qualified Defense Base Act attorneys today at mail@gmpcomplaw.com, or go on our website at www.dbalawyers.com and fill out our form on the contact us page, or call us at 305 595 3350. We are often told by our clients that, by spending one hour with us on the phone, they learn more about their case than they learned in six months or more of representation by their lawyer. Contact Us today and get the information you need to maximize your recovery.
Clifford R. Mermell, Esq., created the law firm of Gillis, Mermell & Pacheco, P.A. on March 1, 1996. Mr. Mermell has been the senior and managing partner of the firm since its creation. The firm was created to champion the rights of injured workers nationwide. It represents cases under the Worker’s Compensation, Wrongful Termination, Personal Injury, Admiralty and Maritime, Defense Base Act, and Longshore & Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act Laws.