PTSD DBA Claims Under the Defense Base Act: Protecting Government Contractors Injured by Attacks in the Middle East
By Tim Nies, Defense Base Act Attorney | Army Ranger Veteran
Government contractors working alongside our military forces in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and across the Middle East often face the same dangers as active-duty soldiers. These contractors—many of whom are fellow veterans—are routinely exposed to the trauma of war, including rocket attacks, missile strikes, and drone assaults targeting U.S. bases.
I represent these brave men and women—contractors who return home suffering from the invisible wounds of war: psychiatric injuries such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety in DBA claims.
As a veteran of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Ranger Battalion and a DBA Lawyer, I go to battle on a different front: fighting Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance companies who routinely deny or delay valid PTSD and psychiatric injury claims filed by injured government contractors.
These injuries are real.
They are disabling.
And they deserve to be compensated.
Many of my clients were stationed at bases subjected to relentless rocket fire and drone attacks launched by Iranian forces or their proxies. The trauma they experienced in those moments—moments when incoming rounds lit up the sky or exploded close to their living quarters—never truly leaves. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder changes lives. Some return unable to sleep, plagued by flashbacks, constantly on alert. Others withdraw from family, battle addiction, or struggle to work.
The Defense Base Act was designed to protect these individuals. But far too often, the DBA insurance carriers use delay tactics, minimize psychiatric claims, or demand unreasonable proof—turning what should be a straightforward claim into a legal nightmare.
That’s where I step in.
At Van Riper & Nies Attorneys, I take these cases seriously. I will stand up to these Defense Base Act insurance companies. I will push for the psychiatric care, wage loss benefits, and medical support my clients are owed.
If you or a loved one is suffering from PTSD or other psychiatric injuries due to your work as a government contractor overseas, including Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, or Jordan, you are not alone. You have rights under the Defense Base Act. And I will stand beside you to protect them.
If you are still in the Middle East at a US Base and you are suffering from psychiatric symptoms, the best time to contact me is before contractors leave to return home, if possible. I speak with contractors about what steps should be followed before leaving. It will also allow me to offer advice very early on in the claim before DBA insurance company recorded statements, DBA depositions, Independent Medical Evaluations (IME – set by DBA insurance companies with its psychologists or psychiatrists), DBA mediations, etc. Preparation is key to a successful DBA claim. I review with my clients early on the steps in DBA claims.
Contact my DBA law firm today for a free and confidential consultation.
📞 Call: 772-283-8712
🌐 Visit: www.defensebaseactlawyers.com
I’m Tim Nies—Army Ranger Veteran and Defense Base Act attorney. I’ve worn the uniform. I’ve been injured in the line of duty with the US Army Rangers. And now, I fight for those carrying the weight of war, including those with psychiatric symptoms following the attack on the US Base in Qatar on June 23, 2025.