Florida Soliders & Widows File Asbestos Lawsuits
More than a dozen Florida soldiers and their widows have filed a class action suit against KBR, Inc. and parent company Halliburton after the soldiers became ill or died after being exposed to burn pits in Iraq. The suit has been filed in 16 states, with over 200 total plaintiffs. The lawsuit says KBR Inc. and Halliburton were contracted by the U.S. government to dispose of waste in Iraq and Afghanistan. The lawsuit alleges that the companies simply burned the waste in open burn pits.
The pits contained a variety of materials, including tires, medical waste, toxic asbestos (linked to mesothelioma and lung cancer), and even human bodies. The lawsuit says that the pits are "so large that tractors are used to push waste onto them and the flames shoot hundreds of feet into the sky."
Army widow Jill Wilkins of Eustis, Florida joined the class-action suit after her husband developed and died from a brain tumor contracted after being exposed to the toxic smoke from the burn pits. Wilkins’ husband, Kevin, was an Air Force reservist who served in Iraq. He died just over one year ago. Other soldiers have reported various skin and respiratory problems that are ascribed to exposure to the pits.
"The burn-pit problem is very widespread," said Elizabeth Burke, a Washington attorney who has filed the class-action lawsuits. "It’s outrageous that an American company is using this practice right next to soldiers."
Officials from KBR responded to the class-action suit with a written statement that stated "KBR did not operate the burn pit at Balad in Iraq, as has been previously asserted…It should also be noted that any burn pit operated in Iraq or Afghanistan is done pursuant to Army guidelines and regulations…The general assertion that KBR knowingly harmed troops is unfounded as the safety and security of all KBR employees and those the company serves remains our top priority."
