What Is The Defense Base Act (DBA)
The Defense Base Act is an extension of the Longshore & Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) and covers civilian employees working outside the United States on U.S. military bases or under a contract with the U.S. government for public works or for national defense. It’s designed to provide workers’ medical treatment and compensation protection to those injured in the scope and course of employment. This includes civilian contractors who are injured or killed while working in places such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Pacific Island Atolls, and Southeast Asia, to name just a few.
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The Defense Base Act covers the following employment activities:
- Working for private employers on U.S. military bases or on any lands used by the U.S. for military purposes outside of the United States, including those in U.S. Territories and possessions;
- Working on public work contracts with any U.S. government agency, including construction and service contracts in connection with national defense or with war activities outside the United States;
- Working on contracts approved and funded by the U.S. under the Foreign Assistance Act, generally providing for cash sale of military equipment, materials, and services to its allies, if the contract is performed outside of the United States;
- Working for American employers providing welfare or similar services outside of the United States for the benefit of the Armed Forces, e.g. the USO.
If any one of the above criteria is met, all employees engaged in such employment, regardless of nationality, are covered under the Act.
As a Defense Base Act Lawyer, we can represent you.
What is a Defense Base Act Lawyer?
A Defense Base Act Lawyer is an attorney that represents injured workers who are covered under the Defense Base Act. There are circumstances where we can simply help with claims or in more complex cases, represent you to fight for a defense base act claim on your behalf.
Who Can We Help
We help civilian employees within the United States who have suffered a serious injury working on a government contract while overseas.
Our team provides thorough investigation, skillful arbitration and litigation expertise in courts of law on your behalf. We are dedicated to attaining what you deserve and provide you with the maximum financial compensation possible.
About – Defense Base Act Lawyer
Cory Birnberg & his firm have been practicing in this area of law since 1984 and has successfully completed over 2500 cases on this subject matter. The firm has represented translators and linguists for over 20 years. He holds not only a law degree from Loyola Law School, but a Masters of Law from Tulane Law School. He is past president of the California State Bar Admiralty and Maritime section and has been a commissioner of this state bar section since 2010. The Longshore law for persons who load and off load ships, is applicable to the overseas workers in war zones, civil workers translating for our troops overseas, as well as mechanics, drivers, officer workers etc. Millions of dollars have been recovered for his injured client. Besides his legal advocacy for workers overseas, he has been an adjunct professor of law at University of California Hastings Law School for the last 20 years.
Our clients reside all over the United States, from Alaska to Florida, Maine to Texas. Every location in the United States with clients living in South America and Europe. The firm has employees fluent in Spanish , Portuguese, Arabic, Hebrew and has resources for Pashto, Dari, and Urdu.
Contact Us
Birnberg & Associates
1083 Mission St. Third Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103- 2812
Phone: (415) 398-1040 • Fax: (415) 398-2001
Email: Birnberg @ Birnberg.com