If 34 National Guard soldiers win their lawsuit against contractor KBR Inc., the Department of Defense—and thus taxpayers—will wind up paying for the civil damages, not the company that did the wrongdoing. That’s because KBR received an immunity clause in its government contract just prior to the Iraq invasion in 2003, granting it protection from any civil lawsuits arising from the company’s work.

 

The Guardsmen allege that while protecting KBR’s operations, they were exposed to the toxic chemical hexavalent chromium. That exposure resulted in the soldiers suffering serious health problems, they claim.

 

If the plaintiffs win their case, they could receive $150 million in a settlement—money that essentially will come out of the U.S. Treasury.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Military Contractor Immunity – And You Wonder Why the Deficit is High? (The Pop Tort)

Pentagon Disclosure Highlights Special Indemnity with KBR Contract in Iraq in Hexavalent Chromium Exposure Case by Oregon Soldiers (by Julie Sullivan, The Oregonian)

KBR/Halliburton Immune from Prosecution for Cancer Exposure in Iraq (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

KBR Accused in Cancer Death of Indiana National Guardsman (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

Another Lawsuit Over KBR Iraq Toxic Exposure by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)