Senate Judiciary chairman sues Delaware engineer firm on behalf of National Guard unit

Full article at: Senate Judiciary chairman accuses firm of knowingly exposing soldiers to chemicals in Iraq
By Mannix Porterfield
Register-Herald reporter

Senate Judiciary Chairman Jeffrey Kessler sued a Delaware engineering firm Monday, accusing it of knowingly exposing 30 members of a National Guard unit based in his district to sodium dichromate six years ago at a water treatment plant in war-riddled Iraq.

Kessler’s lawsuit, the first to be filed in a state court since the issue arose in Congress, named Kellogg, Brown and Root Inc., or KBR, formerly a subsidiary of Haliburton, and seeks compensatory damages needed to compensate members of the 1092nd Battalion for past and future medical expenses.

Kessler accused the firm of negligence in causing major health problems, such as respiratory tumors, autoimmune disorders, digestive difficulties, pain and anguish, the loss by the spouses of all married plaintiffs in companionship and consortium, and the loss of income and earning capacity, and other physical problems associated with hexavalent cromium exposure.