DBA Insurance
Defense Base Act Workers' compensation or DBA Insurance insurance provides coverage for civilian workers hired by the government to perform contracts outside the US and Canada. DBA is required for all US citizens, US residents, US Green Card holders, and all employees or subcontractors hired on overseas government contracts. Depending on the country, Foreign Nationals must also be covered under DBA. This coverage typically includes expenses related to medical treatment and loss of wages, as well as disability and death benefits.
The Defense Base Act (DBA), 42 U.S.C. § 1651–1654, is an extension of the federal workers’ compensation program that covers longshoremen and harbor workers, the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act 33 U.S.C. § 901–950. The DBA covers persons employed at United States defense bases overseas. The DBA is designed to provide medical treatment and compensation to employees of defense contractors injured in the scope and course of employment.
There is a three day waiting period (the period of time one must wait before compensation is due) under the LHWCA. Thereafter, if an injury is serious enough to prevent the employee from returning to work, the employer (or its insurer) must pay compensation to the injured worker. The amount of compensation paid is generally calculated by taking an employee’s wages from the year prior to the injury and dividing by 52. This is known as the average weekly wage (AWW).
If the employee has worked in the same job for the entire period, the calculation is simple enough. If the employee has not worked “substantially the whole year” in the same type of employment, alternate methods may be used to determine AWW. A similar employee's wages can be used, or if 33 U.S.C. § 910 Sections (a) or (b) cannot be fairly applied, there are several alternatives such as taking a daily wage and multiplying it by the number of days per week ordinarily worked. Courts are split on the issue of whether lower stateside earnings should be used to determine AWW and compensation rated.
Once the average weekly wage (AWW) is established, this is multiplied by two-thirds and this figure, the compensation rate (CR) is the amount of money the injured worker is to receive each week he or she is disabled. There is a maximum rate which changes periodically. [2] Generally, DBA insurers pay every two weeks. Once the compensation rate for “total disability” is established, it does not change and there are no increases for cost of living or inflation.
Benefits are generally paid until the injured worker returns to work or is capable of returning to work and suitable work is available. For example, if an injured worker fully recovers from his or her injury and can return to his or her regular job, total disability benefits end. Also, even if an injured worker cannot return to his regular job due to a physicians restrictions, compensation ends if the employer offers the employee suitable work. Short of offering a job, the employer/insurer may stop compensation for total disability if it can prove that there are suitable jobs which exist in the employees commuting area. If those jobs do not meet or exceed the injured worker’s previously established AWW, the employer/carrier may have to pay either partial disability benefits or a “scheduled award”, depending on the nature of the original injury.
There are certain injuries which are subject to a scheduled award. For example, if an injured worker has an arm injury, is at Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI), work is available and has a 10% permanent impairment rating, he or she would be entitled to a scheduled award but no further total disability benefits unless there is a change in condition. However, if a person has a back injury and is at MMI, he or she would still be entitled to total disability benefits if he can prove that he or she has made a diligent but unsuccessful attempt to find suitable work. This is normally a issue which is litigated and there are many scenarios which may come into play. For a list of “scheduled injuries’, see 33 U.S.C. § 908.
Maximum medical improvement is a medical term which signifies that the employee has recovered from his or her injuries as much as can be expected and the medical providers have done everything they can do medically. If the employee reached this point and still cannot work, he or she may be entitled to “permanent and total” (PTD) disability benefits. These benefits are generally reserved for those injured workers who will most likely be unable to work for the rest of their lives. This benefit carries with it an automatic cost of living allowance.
