$85M Award for OR Soldiers Overturned

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a verdict on Thursday that awarded $85 million to a group of Oregon soldiers who claimed they were exposed to toxic chemicals during the Iraq War. A dozen Oregon Army National Guardsmen had won a 2012 lawsuit against defense contractor KBR, which was found negligent and ordered to pay each soldier $850,000 in non-economic damages and $6.25 million in punitive damages. But KBR successfully argued that the U.S. District Court in Portland, where the trial was held, was not the proper jurisdiction. David Sugerman, the attorney for the soldiers, said he is looking at refiling the case.