Army Ranger Veteran-Owned Law Firm Announces Launch of its Defense Base Act Law Website

Dec. 25, 2010 - PRLog -- Attorneys, Timothy Nies, a former Army Ranger and Insurance Defense Trial Attorney, and Christian Van Riper, a former State Attorney, of Van Riper and Nies, announces the launch of their website, defensebaseactlawyers.com, which provides information on fiing injury claims under the Defense Base Act.

"We go to battle for you..."

Our attorneys understand the confusion you are probably facing at this time. One day you are working hard for your future, and for your family, and the next day you are injured and sent home, with the insurance company denying your claim. We work hard at helping workers like you.

Our trial attorneys, Tim Nies, a former U.S. Army Airborne Ranger with the 75th Ranger Regiment, and Christian Van Riper, a former felony prosecutor, are uniquely qualified and experienced in representing injured civilian contractors under the Defense Base Act before the U.S. Department of Labor.

Tim sustained a line-of-duty injury during a parachute mission with the 3rd Battalion, 75thRanger Regiment.  Thereafter, he underwent months of rehabilitation in Fort Benning, Georgia, but unfortunately was unable to stay in the 75th Ranger Regiment.  Soon after being medically discharged from the U.S. Army, Tim attended law shool. Being a veteran, Tim, more than most other attorneys, knows what it is like to sustain a life-changing injury, to overcome the injury and to provide for his family.  Tim considers himself lucky. After his knee injury, the Army and then the VA took good care of him. He was able to attend law school on the GI Bill.  Given his military experience, he tenaciously fights for military contractors, who are often seriously injured, then sent back to the U.S. with no compensation and no medical care.

It is important to understand the history of the Defense Base Act. In 1940, the United States began building and expanding military bases overseas in preparation for the growing possibility of war with Japan and Germany. To make sure that the American civilians working overseas had coverage for injuries, the U.S. Congress created the Defense Base Act, which was passed in 1941. The law, intended as a temporary measure for World War II, was only 2,000 words long. Essentially, it said that contractors working overseas had to purchase insurance similar to that required by the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, passed in 1927.

Fast forward to the present time, civilian military contractors have played a critical role in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, delivering supplies, fuel and water to frontline troops, guarding U.S. diplomats and translating for soldiers and marines in treacherous raids. More than 1,400 civilian workers have died and 32,000 have been wounded or injured in the two war zones.

In accordance with the U.S. Defense Base Act, these civilian contractors, both Americans and foreigners, are to receive workers' compensation benefits. However, the truth is that civilian workers who suffered devastating injuries while supporting the U.S. war effort in Afghanistan and Iraq have come home to a grinding battle for basic medical care, artificial limbs, psychological counseling and other services. The civilians have to fight a federally supervised insurance system marked by high costs and excessive delays. The lawyers at our firm are aggressive and proactive in their fight against these insurance companies who regularly and wrongfully deny claims of their injured clients.

If you were injured overseas for a company under a U.S. Government contrat, compensation under the Defense Base Act may not be your only recourse.  In some instances, someone other than your employer shares responsibility, such as another contractor or manufacturer of a weapon or machinery. We will pursue all responsible persons or entities on your behalf.

Our attorneys know how to find all possible avenues of compensation for your injury, and we are not afraid to take on major companies and insurers like Chartis and CNA.  

For more information about our Defense Base Act practice, please visit us at http://www.defensebaseactlawyers.com, call us at 888-682-6747 or 772-283-8712,  or email Tim Nies directly at tim@vanriperandnies.com.

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Van Riper & Nies Attorneys, P.A., an Army Ranger Veteran-owned law firm practicing in claims under the Defense Base Act represents military contractors injured in Iraq oand Afghanistan, while working under a U.S. Governent Contract. Our workers compensation attorneys are experienced in litigating Defense Base Act claims before the United States Department of Labor.

Our attorney, Timothy Nies, is a former U.S. Army Ranger with the 3d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment and a former Insurance Company Trial Attorney. Our other partner, Christian Van Riper is a former prosecuting attorney for the State of Florida.