Veterans and their families are asking a federal appeals court to reinstate a collection of lawsuits brought against a government contractor who they claim caused health problems by using burn pits during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Last year, a judge dismissed the lawsuits filed against KBR, a former Halliburton subsidiary. Arguments are scheduled Wednesday before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Virginia.
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The lawsuits alleged that KBR dumped tires, trucks, medical waste and other materials into open burn pits, which caused gastrointestinal illnesses, respiratory problems and other health issues.
A federal judge in Maryland found that the military made the decision to use burn pits. The judge said analyzing the military’s decision-making during war was a political question not appropriate for judicial review.
