Burn Pit Legal News Articles & Interviews

Washington, DC: The dismissal of burn pit exposure class action lawsuits against a military contractor at the state level – and the forthcoming appeal – will provide little solace to veterans sickened by the fumes and chemicals originating from military burn pits. This is especially true when one considers the thrust of an amicus curiae brief filed with the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Washington, DC In August, the plaintiffs filed a Notice of Appeal In re: KBR, Inc., Burn Pit Litigation seeking to overturn the decision of the Fourth Circuit that barred them from suing the military contractor who operated the burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since individuals cannot sue the military itself, the Fourth Circuit decision effectively leaves these veterans without legal recourse for the injuries they suffered from breathing toxic air and drinking poisonous water.

Baltimore, MD: The US District Court’s dismissal of the multidistrict litigation, In re: KBR, Inc., Burn Pit Litigation is about more than Iraq and Afghanistan burn pits. The exhaustive opinion demonstrates why it is so hard for veterans and their families to sue military contractors when they are hurt because contractors fail to exercise appropriate care in the discharge of their duties. As the nuts and bolts of modern warfare are delegated more frequently to private contractors, this issue is likely to come up again.

Baltimore, MD In a controversial ruling, a US District Court judge in Maryland has ruled US Veterans and their families cannot sue KBR contracting for exposing American soldiers to plumes of toxic smoke that emanated from burn pits used to dispose of trash near US military bases in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Huntsville, AL The addition of a pulmonary condition to the list of compassionate allowances for modern-day war veterans returning home may help those who have suffered breathing and lung problems from burn pit exposure overseas, and also serves as a vindication for anyone fighting a burn pit lawsuit.

Locust Grove, OK Bob says he was fit and healthy his entire life, but after just two months in Iraq he still suffers a litany of health problems. The only explanation Bob can come up with is that he was exposed to toxic fumes from military open burn pits—he was stationed at Balad Air Force base, notoriously known for the worst burn pit operations.

Pittsburgh, PA By now, it's no secret that military burn pits have had a negative impact on members of the armed forces and veterans, but these concerns can be seen directly at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Clairton, Pennsylvania.

Canton, OH It's a sad state of affairs when a US veteran comes home from Afghanistan only to find himself unemployable due to respiratory problems as a result of breathing toxic fumes day after day at military open pit burn sites. David choked back his tears as he told this reporter how he has lost just about everything, including his will to live.

Kabul, Afghanistan A recent article in Guernica Magazine emphasizes the risks military servicemen and women face due to potential burn pit exposure in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Nashville, TN Countless soldiers have returned from tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan with respiratory problems, from asthma to bronchitis, and believe their illnesses stem from open pit burn facilities. And many of them are frustrated because their respiratory conditions haven't been recognized by the VA. But that attitude might change due to a study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.