If you do dock work, marine work, or related work and you have been injured, you may need a Defense Base Act lawyer. Longshore and harbor workers compensation and maritime claims may seem difficult and complex, but you can get help in presenting your case. A Defense Base Act lawyer will be familiar with the compensation mechanisms and requirements of the Defense Base Act (DBA) and related legislation, like the Longshore Compensation Act (LCA), which work together to protect you and your family if you are injured or killed on the job. The DBA and LCA work together to provide a safety net for injured workers.

If you or a loved one has been injured on the job in a dockyard or maritime situation, you are not alone and you may be protected by the significant coverage of these acts. The LCA gives almost $750 million in different remedies and benefits, from money to medical and rehabilitative services. Around 27,000 cases are handled by the LCA every year. Defense base act attorneys and specialists in maritime and dockyard workers compensation can help you navigate the complexities of settling your claim and getting under the expansive protection of the DBA and LCA. While you are recovering, you can get up to almost $1,300 per week, but no less than $323 per week, in wage replacement. If a family member has been killed, the DBA offers further financial protection, including $3,000 for funeral expenses and survivor’s benefits based on the worker’s AWW.

Defense Base Act lawyers and other maritime personal injury and workers compensation specialists can help you and your family get through the special hurdles of maritime and longshore workers compensation. It is a unique field of law with its own challenges, so it is best to hire a Defense Base Act lawyer specialist, rather than a general personal injury or workers compensation attorney.