Are you Entitled to DBA Death Benefits?

Posted on Wednesday July 01, 2020

If your spouse or close family member is working as a civilian defense contractor overseas, it can be stressful due to the many different risks of harm. If you receive the worst possible news – that your loved one suffered a fatal injury – it can devastate your family and change your situation forever. 

Not only can an unexpected loss result in emotional grief but also financial stress. Your household likely lost significant earnings, and you might be facing additional funeral and burial expenses. It is important to know your rights to possible benefits under the Defense Base Act (DBA) if the fatal accident happened while your loved one was working on the job. Contact our experienced DBA attorneys for help today. 

Possible Death Benefits Under the DBA

Just because your loved one is not heading overseas as a soldier, they still can be in harm’s way, whether it is due to violence or an accident that happens as part of their work. You should be aware as they leave that DBA benefits might kick in if they suffer an injury or tragically pass away due to a work-related injury or illness. 

DBA benefits cover medical expenses and lost wages for defense contractors working on foreign soil. If your loved one was covered by the DBA, you might be eligible to receive substantial death benefits. Eligible benefit recipients can include:

• Surviving spouse
• Surviving children
• People who were dependent on the deceased individual, such as grandchildren, parents, siblings, or anyone claimed as a dependent for tax purposes

If you are a surviving spouse, you can receive 50 percent of the deceased contractor’s weekly earnings (based on an average). These benefits can continue until the spouse remarries, at which point they can be eligible for a lump sum equaling two years of earnings. 

If there is one child, they can receive 50 percent of their parent’s average weekly income as death benefits until they turn 18 (or 23 if they are in school). If there are two beneficiaries, benefits can total two-thirds of the deceased’s weekly earnings. There is a cap for weekly benefits, however, which is $1,560.08 for 2020, but that changes each fiscal year. Other dependents that are not a spouse or children might receive either 25 percent or 20 percent of the weekly wages, depending on their relationship to the deceased. 

DBA benefits should also cover up to $3,000 for funeral expenses, which is critical when your family is already facing financial concerns about the future. It is important to seek help from the right legal team that can advocate for the full benefits that you deserve.

Speak with Our DBA Attorneys Who Can Help

After losing a loved one, the last thing you need is to deal with the stress of a complicated DBA death benefit insurance claim. You should not hesitate to reach out to the compassionate DBA attorneys at Mara Law Firm. Call (619) 234-2833 or contact us online for a free consultation today.