9th Circuit Clarifies Appeals Process for Defense Base Act Claims

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals clarified the process for appealing a compensation decision under the Defense Base Act, and it upheld an award to a linguist for his mental injuries from his service in Iraq. Case: Global Linguist Solutions v. Abdelmeged, No. 17-72516, 01/16/2019, published. Facts: Abdulraouf Abdelmeged worked for Global Linguist Solutions as a linguist, supporting American troops in Iraq. After a two-year tour, Abdelmeged returned to the U.S. and filed a workers’ compensation claim seeking benefits under the Defense Base Act. The DBA extends the rights and remed...