Oregon Public Broadcasting

Attorneys for the logistics company KBR will argue Monday that a federal judge in Portland should throw out a lawsuit filed by members of the Oregon National Guard. Amelia Templeton reports.

The Guard soldiers say they were exposed to a highly toxic chemical in 2003. They were protecting KBR staff at the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant in southern Iraq.

David Sugerman represents 26 of the soldiers. He says some of his clients have trouble breathing. And they worry about developing cancer.

David Sugerman: “KBR knew about this hazard. KBR was hired to fix this plant and report on environmental hazards and to do this safely. And they ignored it.”

KBR’s attorneys will tell the judge the contractor’s work on Iraqi oil fields should be considered part of military combat. And they argue that makes the company immune from injury lawsuits.

KBR says there was no hazardous exposure at the site.