Injured war zone contractors fight to get care

The L.A. Times ran an article titled "Injured war zone contractors fight to get care" http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-contractors17-2009apr17,0,5505250.story


The article discussed the fact that contractors are crucial to the U.S. military efforts in both Iraq and Afghanistan.  However, when these same civilian workers are wounded on the job, they must then do battle with an insurance system marked by long delays and high costs.  The article noted that more than 1,400 civilian workers have died and 31,000 have been wounded or injured in the two war zones.

The article further states that Insurance companies initially rejected 44% of claims from contractors involving serious injuries and more than half of all claims related to psychological stress.  As a result, civilians maimed or traumatized in the war zone often must wage lengthy court battles for medical care and benefits.

The L.A. Times stated the high denial rate is partly due to government rules that give insurers only 14 days to decide the validity of a claim.  Thus, Insurers often reject first and investigate later.

Those case-by-case investigations are usually resolved through mediation. When the two sides can't agree -- as has happened in more than 1,000 cases -- the dispute winds up in court. Workers win such appeals in 75% of cases, records show, but the process can last months or years.

These are the very reasons you need to hire an Attorney to handle your claim properly.