From: | Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org> |
Date: | Wed, 21 Jan 2015 17:38:35 -0800 (PST) |
Reply: | cpeo-military |
Subject: | [CPEO-MEF] GLOBAL: "Supreme Court allows lawsuits over burn pits, electrocutions" in Iraq and Afghanistan |
Supreme Court allows lawsuits over burn pits, electrocutions By Heath Druzin Stars and Stripes January 20, 2015The Supreme Court is allowing lawsuits involving open-air burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan and a soldier’s electrocution in a base shower to move forward against two of the largest American military contractors, according to wire reports. The lawsuits were filed against KBR Inc. and Halliburton Co., which had filed appeals saying the lawsuits should be thrown out because the company was operating as an arm of the military in Iraq and Afghanistan. Two of the lawsuits include claims that troops suffered health problems related to their exposure to burn pits and toxic chemicals on American bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. Another claims that shoddy electrical work led to the electrocution death of Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, who was killed in a base shower in Iraq. In general, the government cannot be sued in such cases, but private contractors working on behalf of the government have presented a legal gray area. Supreme Court justices offered no comment for their decision, according to the Associated Press. The Obama administration has sided with the contractors. ... For the entire article, seehttp://www.stripes.com/news/us/supreme-court-allows-lawsuits-over- burn-pits-electrocutions-1.324782 -- Lenny Siegel Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight a project of the Pacific Studies Center 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041 Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545 Fax: 650/961-8918 <lsiegel@cpeo.org> http://www.cpeo.org _______________________________________________ Military mailing list Military@lists.cpeo.org http://lists.cpeo.org/listinfo.cgi/military-cpeo.org | |
Prev by Date: [CPEO-MEF] MUNITIONS: "National voices join M6 open burn opposition" at Camp Minden (LA) Next by Date: [CPEO-MEF] MUNITIONS: "Government knew about contamination at Camp Minden [LA} in 1989" | |
Prev by Thread: [CPEO-MEF] MUNITIONS: "National voices join M6 open burn opposition" at Camp Minden (LA) Next by Thread: [CPEO-MEF] MUNITIONS: "Government knew about contamination at Camp Minden [LA} in 1989" |