Claims Against KBR Dismissed in Soldier's Death

[babylonsister]

Claims Against KBR Dismissed in Soldier's Death

by Abbie Boudreau and Scott Bronstein


Judges in Texas and Florida have dropped military contractor KBR from lawsuits brought by the family of a soldier who was electrocuted in Iraq, the company announced Tuesday.

Sgt. Christopher Everett died while using a power washer at an American base outside Ramadi, in western Iraq. His was one of nine electrocution deaths in Iraq blamed on "improper grounding or faulty equipment," according to a Pentagon inspector-general's report released Monday.

KBR was one of the contractors Everett's family has sued in connection with his death. But federal courts in Louisiana and Texas have thrown out the family's claims against the Houston, Texas-based company, KBR announced Tuesday.

"The dismissal orders affirm that despite repeated criticism and statements made by several public officials on Capitol Hill and related media reports, KBR had no involvement in the factors that led to the tragic death of Sergeant Everett," Andrew D. Farley, the company's senior vice president and general counsel, said in a written statement.

KBR's work in Iraq and Afghanistan has come under extensive criticism from members of Congress. The company has defended its performance and argued that it was not to blame for any fatalities.

more...

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/07/29-0

[derby378]

1. EXCUSE ME?!?

"No involvement in the factors" that led to Everett's death? Just like Geroge W. Bush had no involvement in the factors that forced our troops into Iraq in the first place?

:wtf:

[Blaze Diem]

2. You mean a Bush crony judge dismissed the claim?

This needs to be taken to a higher court. Negligence.

This is appalling.

[Captain Hilts]

3. WTF???

[blogslut]

4. According to this article

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2447114/

It was the mother of Sgt. Everett who dropped KBR from the suit - due to KBR's wall of appeals.

Larraine McGee, mother of Staff Sgt. Christopher L. Everett, said Tuesday she felt she had no choice when she agreed to KBR's request to dismiss federal complaints filed against the company in Texas and Louisiana. She said she feared "losing the whole case," which also names as a defendant Arkel International LLC, a defense contractor based in Baton Rouge.

"KBR had us tied up in appeals, and Arkel didn't appeal anything," said McGee, of Huntsville, Texas. "I was afraid of losing it all. I felt I had to do this so the case against Arkel could continue."

Despicable either way but I find it notable that the http://edition.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/07/28/military.electrocutions.kbr">CNN story cited by Common Dreams, attributes the decision to the judges.

[crickets]

6. Poor woman. This is so wrong.

In a just world, the military would have gone after KBR for endangering soldiers and causing their deaths. At the very least, they would cancel contracts. Sigh.

[dmr]

5. So is this a part of the many cover-ups?

It concluded that a water pump installed by KBR was not grounded, leading to Maseth's electrocution when it short-circuited, and the company did not report improperly grounded equipment during routine maintenance.

But it also found that Maseth's commanders failed to ensure renovations to the palace had been properly done and the Army did not set electrical standards for jobs or contractors.

Excuse me!

If I hired a contractor to do a job, wouldn't that contractor have a common practice of assuring electrical standards just for the sake of doing a job correctly and safely? How could a contractor live with himself knowing the danger he left behind?

Sure, the military should have inspected the work; but I don't see how that makes KBR less culpable - especially when they KNEW about the DANGERS of the improperly grounded equipment.

Another terrible insult upon the victims and all Americans who are footing the bill. The criminals from the Bush* admin to the contractors will never be held accountable, but their personal coffers sure have been enriched.

[Norrin Radd]

7. KBR is an enemy of the state.

[Solly Mack]

8. K&R