Construction workers discussing Federal Workers' Compensation

Federal Workers' Compensation Legal Services from the Soloway Law Firm

Many of our social security and long-term disability clients became unable to work due to an injury sustained while on the job, often called a “worker’s compensation” injury. When people suffer injuries while working for a federal employer or are injured on governmental property such as a military base, federal facility, or a port on a waterway, their claim is often considered under Federal — not state — Workers’ Compensation rules. While very few law firms in the United States accept such cases, the Soloway Law Firm has been doing so for 31 years.

Our practice in Federal Workers’ Compensation (FWC) includes very specific Federal Acts. Unfortunately, we do not accept claims of postal workers or certain civilian employees covered by the Federal Employee’s Compensation Act (FECA). However, we are happy to provide free legal advice to those persons and help them find an attorney if possible.


Federal Workers’ Compensation Practice Areas

The experienced attorneys at the Soloway Law Firm accept Federal Workers’ Compensation cases involving the following:

The Defense Base Act (DBA)

The Defense Base Act covers persons injured in foreign countries while performing work for military contractors. This includes persons working at military bases, U.S. Embassies in foreign countries, off-base areas outside the United States, and injuries that occur during orientation or training for these jobs while stateside.

The Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (LSHWCA)

The Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act covers persons injured while working as land-based longshoremen, ship repairman injured on vessels afloat on navigable waters, and other maritime employees. If the LSHWCA does not cover you because you are a “seaman” working on a vessel, we handle your claim under the Jones Act instead of FWC.

The Non-Appropriated Fund Instrumentalities Act (NAFIA)

The Non-Appropriated Fund Instrumentalities Act covers persons injured while working at certain jobs on military bases and off-base “Exchanges” or shopping facilities. These include jobs at restaurants, bars, shopping centers, living quarters, meeting halls, and other locations on and off the Navy, Army, Air Force and other military bases in Florida and the coastline of the United States.

Understanding Federal Workers’ Compensation Case Progression

These Federal Workers’ Compensation laws provide for both medical treatment and compensation for lost wages, as well as the loss of the ability to earn money in the future. The administrative handling of these claims occurs through the United States Department of Labor, initially through the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) and on through the Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) and the Benefits Review Board (BRB). Should your case need to be appealed beyond the administrative process, it would proceed to the United States Circuit Court of Appeals and finally, to the United States Supreme Court.

At the Soloway Law Firm, we are proud to be one of the few law firms in the entire country to handle these FWC cases. We are qualified to handle your case from start to finish, from the initial claim filed with OWCP and if necessary, all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. In our three decades of practice, we have handled hundreds of cases where the employer and its insurance carrier pay all costs and all of our attorneys’ fees — not our client!

Helpful Resources from the Soloway Law Firm

The Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) is part of the U.S, Department of Labor, and is tasked with protecting the interests of workers who are injured or become ill on the job.

Learn More About the OWCP

In addition, because most of our workers’ compensation clients have additional state and federal remedies available to them to pay for medical care and lost wages (including Social Security, Short Term and Long Term Disability), we handle ALL claims together so our clients do not have to retain different lawyers for each of their other legal cases. We also investigate and research the possibility of bringing “third party claims” such as personal injury lawsuits where the work injury was caused by someone apart from the employer or co-workers.

Helping Clients With Their Federal Workers’ Compensation Claims

Our goal in federal workers’ compensation cases is similar to our other areas of practice: to make a full and fair recovery for you and your family. By handling your FWC case together with all your related claims for Social Security, LTD and even personal injury, we strive to achieve full and complete success. We handle each and every claim you have — all under one roof — at the Soloway Law Firm.

Construction workers discussing Federal Workers' Compensation

Federal Workers’ Compensation Articles From The Soloway Law Firm

  • Top of vintage typewriter with Work Injury Claim typed on the center of a piece of paper in the machine

    Defense Base Act & Settlement of Claims

    After almost 40 years representing injured workers covered by the Defense Base Act (along with those covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act and Non-Appropriated Funds Instrumentalities Act), it is clear that almost every claim is resolved via a final settlement under Section 8(i) of this law. That section simply requires the application…