Defense Base Act Lawyers Blog

In our recent articles we have advised you that the U.S. Defense Base Act protects contractors of any nationality working for various agencies of the United States and, specifically, the U.S. Military. We have had major bases from all branches of the military (Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force) in Japan and Okinawa for many decades. Due to the 9.0 magnitude earthquake on March 11, 2011, and the resulting tsunami the nuclear reactors in Fukushima Prefecture have suffered catastrophic coolant failure.

When nuclear reactors can not be shut down properly and the rods of enriched uranium and/or plutonium over heat, they release enormous amounts of radioactivity. Private defense contractors in the region must be aware of the symptoms of radiation exposure. These symptoms may not show for months. Any questions as to coverage for radiation illness that you may have should be brought immediately to your Defense Base Act lawyer. The speed with which the symptoms may develop is generally proportional to the extent of the exposure. Logically, a high exposure even over a short period of time will create symptoms more quickly that a low exposure to radioactive isotopes over a longer period of time. There are no absolute rules here. However, even with a low level exposure if it lasts long enough (different for every person) it can still create radiation poisoning.

Acute radiation syndrome (ARS) is also known as radiation poisoning. It has also been called radiation sickness or radiation toxicity. Radiation sickness disrupts the bodies functions at the cellular level initially causing vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, loss of weight, skin disruptions including redness, skin burns, and persistent sores. Any or all of these initial symptoms need to be evaluated immediately. Remember, these initial symptoms may not show up until months after exposure so don't ignore any of them. Contact a Defense Base Act lawyer with experience. Severe gastrointestinal symptoms accompanied by skin lesions become worse without proper diagnosis and treatment.

Treatment generally consists of blood transfusions, antibiotics, and supportive therapies to control the skin lesions and overcome the gastric distress. Iodine is administered as well so that the thyroid gland absorbs the relatively harmless iodine and NOT the radioisotopes. Because low to moderate ARS (Acute Radiation Syndrome) causes a drop in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets this shows up in the patient as extreme fatigue, uncontrollable bleeding, and susceptibility to infections. More severe cases have those symptoms plus dizziness (vertigo), headaches (cephalgia), and even coma. If you, as a private defense contractor experience any of these symptoms, you must immediately report the exposure and secure medical treatment. You will need legal help as well to make sure that you get all of the benefits available to you under the U.S. Defense Base Act. Remember a Defense Base Act attorney with experience can help you or your family member who qualifies get all of the medical care you need, lost wages, and a possible settlement.

Please see our earlier article on the incredibly fine humanitarian assistance the U.S. Marines, the other military branches, and private defense contractors are providing to the Japanese people. The 'triple threat' of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown has left Japan and the Japanese people in dire need. Towns and cities were destroyed, many thousands killed, thousands more are missing, and the exact extent of the devastation is still unknown. Our U.S. military has been called upon to render aid and with them come the many private military contractors who aid and assist not only the Japanese people, but also to the U.S. military.

Unfortunately, the Fukushima Dai-Ichi (Daiichi) nuclear reactors have suffered catastrophic failures in their cooling systems, have leaked radioactive isotopes into the atmosphere, and the "hail mary" ploys of pumping sea water into the reactors to cool the rods has left the ocean contaminated in the region. Workers for TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company) have already been exposed to tens of thousands of times the acceptable levels of radiation. This past weekend, power plant workers were again evacuated from reactor three when water containing between ten thousand to fifty thousand times the safe level of radioactive isotopes got past their protective clothing.

The picture is bleak but, fortunately, our military and our private defense contractors will not be deployed into the reactors. The entire region, however, holds danger and without becoming an alarmist, it is very important for our military contractors to be aware of the dangers of radiation exposure, the symptoms to look out for, and the help and treatments that are available.

The United States Defense Base Act provides protection for our defense contractors. Any one of ANY nationality working under a contract with the United States government; various agencies and the military (Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force) is covered anywhere in the world. All of the defense bases and occupied territories in Asia may experience potentially serious levels of radiation in the air, food, and water. It is vitally important that anyone exposed to radiation or even suspecting radiation sickness contact an experienced Defense Base Act lawyer for help in securing testing, treatment, and lost wages. A settlement may also be possible. You need to discuss all of these benefits with your Defense Base Act attorney.

Please see our next blog posting regarding symptoms of radiation poisoning. Remember, the odds are that you will not have any problems in Japan or in Asia, but the possibility does exist for radiation poisoning. Given that possibility, you need to protect yourself. There are treatments that work, but you have to know about the symptoms and you need to get legal advice about the medical and financial benefits of the U.S. Defense Base Act.

The triple threat" facing Japan; earthquakes, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown in their reactors; has created an unprecedented disaster in the third largest economy in the world. Japan is also a long standing friend and ally to the United States. Our country has responded and has already dispatched millions of dollars in aid and assistance. Dr. Ronald DeMeo, a South Florida pain management physician and inventor of Demron, a radiation resistant material, donated 200 radiation suits to the Japanese nuclear reactor workers and technicians. Dr. DeMeo invented the material and the suits in response to seeing his patients, his colleagues and himself develop rashes, burns, and even cancers from exposure to medical x-rays. These suits have also been popular around the world in the nuclear power industry and they are made here in Medley, Florida. They retail for just under $2,000.00. Expensive for a "suit," but incredibly inexpensive as a life saver! We commend Dr. DeMeo for his humanitarianism and great generosity.

Nukepills.com, an internet seller of radiation preparedness supplies, is based in Mooresville, N.C., and despite an incredible worldwide demand for potassium iodide; a radiation sickness preventative; they have donated fifty (50,000) thousand doses of this important drug to the Tokushukai Hospital in Tokyo. There they will distribute them to the victims exposed to high levels of radiation in and near the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster. Nukepills, along with many thousands of other businesses and individuals, have "stepped up to the plate" and are trying to help these suffering people.

The United States military and the private defense contractors who provide critical services to the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines are mobilizing in Japan to help the victims of this triple headed monster of a catastrophe. The U.S. Marine Corps maintains a large presence in Japan. On Okinawa, there are a great number of facilities operating under the umbrella organization of Marine Base Camp Smedley D. Butler. Elsewhere in Japan, there are other major installations which include; Camp Courtney, Camp Foster, Camp Gonsalves, Camp Hansen, Camp Kinser, Camp Lester, Camp McTureous, and Camp Schwab.

The Marines also operate dedicated air stations where search and rescue are part of the mission statement and part of the training that takes place year after year in the event a need arises in the region. These bases are the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Camp Fuji, and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. Defense contractors support all of these facilities providing technical support and logistical support, security, maintenance, translators, and other vital services.

Today, in Japan, approximately 4,700 U.S. military personnel, mostly Marines and sailors, have been assigned to Operation Tomodachi (that means "friend" in Japanese). They are supplying the Japanese victims massive quantities of humanitarian supplies and equipment. Due to lack of usable roads, destroyed rail lines, and obliterated infrastructure the relief effort has been a severe challenge. Our allies, Japan's Army and other military have been cooperating in trying to help the Marines help the Japanese people. It is a massive and complex effort and while they have had logistical glitches, they are working together for the common goal of helping the stricken regions and its devastated people.

While many branches of the U.S. armed forces are involved in Operation Tomodachi, the Marine Corps has led the efforts on the ground and in the worst-hit areas of Japan. We salute and commend these brave men and women; military and military contractors; who are struggling to help the Japanese people who are in desperate need.

Japan's main island of Honshu suffered a catastrophic 8.9 magnitude earthquake at 2:46 p.m. (their time) on Friday, March 11, 2011, and it is considered to be the fifth largest earthquake in the world since record keeping began in the late 1800's. It is the largest known earthquake to ever hit the region. Because of the way earthquakes are measured; it is considered to be at least 1,000 times stronger than the one that devastated Christchurch, New Zealand, last month and a thousand times stronger than the one that leveled much of Haiti last year. The Japanese quake destroyed thousands of buildings, killed over a thousand people so far, and caused an incredible series of tsunamis (also called tidal waves) that killed more people and dropped ships onto already devastated communities. Tsunamis have traveled throughout the Pacific basin affecting even California, Alaska, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

1,200 miles of coastal Japan shook for approximately two terrifying minutes and then moments later the 8.9 magnitude earthquake blasted the a 23-foot (seven-meter) tsunami along the northeastern coast of Japan near the coastal city of Sendai. The quake was followed by hundreds by vicious aftershocks; some noteworthy on their own behalf in the 6.0 to 7.4 range. Our U.S. Geological Survey reported that 250 were detected off of Japan's main island of Honshu, 50 of them of magnitude 6.0 or greater at the present time. There is a potential for a 7.9 to 8.0 aftershock and that possibility remains for months.

Fires are burning out of control, oil refineries have exploded, communities are obliterated and now millions of Japanese citizens are in further jeopardy from a nuclear disaster of unprecedented proportions. The true extent of the devastation of this triple threat (earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster) is still unknown and the full effects will likely take months and possibly years to be fully understood.

The Fukushima Nuclear facility, reactors 1 & 3, are undergoing catastrophic loss of coolant as we write this and there are dangers of a massive radiation release. Already there are three patients in a nearby hospital close to Sendai with near lethal levels of radiation poisoning. Hundreds more are being tested. Health officials are distributing iodine salts to people close to the nuclear facilities as a precursor to fighting radiation sickness.

The Fukushima Daiichi #1 reactor is forty years old, but it was originally built with greater safeguards than the Chernobyl plant that had created a nuclear disaster in April of 1986. Chernobyl left large sections of the Ukraine still uninhabitable.

The United States, Great Britain, and other countries have already dispatched technical experts and assistance to Japan. President Barack Obama pledged extensive U.S. assistance calling this a potentially "catastrophic" disaster. One U.S. aircraft carrier is already in Japan and a second is on its way to render assistance.

On CNN's news broadcast today, their senior analyst and anchor, Wolf Blitzer, asked his guest, Japan's Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Ichiro Fujisaki, ". . . what can people due to help?" His response was to help by donating to the American Red Cross. Please use this link to the American Red Cross and give what you can. We would add to that a request for your prayers.

There is an old Chinese saying; some may call it it a curse; "May you live in interesting times." Well, we sure do live in interesting times! On the Korean peninsula we have one ethnic people divided into two countries that are are still technically at a state of war. A truce was declared in 1953, back when Dwight Eisenhower was the new U.S. President. A truce or an armistice means, in essence, we will not shoot or bomb you - - - today. It does not mean peace. Hundreds of thousands of active duty servicemen and women are based on both sides of the 38th Parallel in Korea facing each other armed and ready. Private military contractors (defense contractors) from dozens of countries stand with the military rendering technical assistance, security, logistical and operational support.

In the Philippines, Japan, Okinawa, and elsewhere in Asia, there are deployments of military and defense contractors dedicated to various important missions; such as preparedness training, peacekeeping, and overall lending themselves to providing strategic and regional stability. And then, of course, there are those interesting regions; Afghanistan, North Africa, and the perennial favorite "hotspot," the Middle East.

The importance of the role of the Private Military Contractors, also known as Defense Contractors, has rarely made the front pages of the world's newspapers or the first item on television or the internet. However, the risks taken and the sacrifices made by these men and women from all over the world can not remain ignored. According investigative reporting by such internationally respected sources as the Los Angeles Times, Reuters, and the New York Times, there have frequently been many thousands more defense contractors working for the United States in Iraq than active duty military.

Because we do live in "interesting times," we need the private military contractors; we need their skills, their courage, and their dedication. The injury coverage and protection offered to defense contractors by the United States Defense Base Act is but one means of expressing the appreciation we in the U.S., and others throughout the world, have for these people and the fine work they do. More, however, can and should be done.