(KBR) Contractor wants Iraqi law to decide Pa.Lawsuit (Electrocution U.S. soldier)

[RamboLiberal]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle/AP

Attorneys for Houston-based military contractor KBR Inc. want a federal judge in Pittsburgh to apply Iraqi law to a lawsuit filed by the mother of a Pittsburgh-area soldier who was electrocuted in Iraq.

U.S. District Judge Nora Berry Fischer says she wants both sides to file written arguments before she decides the issue argued at a pretrial hearing on Tuesday. But Fischer acknowledged the dispute is really about whether KBR might have to pay punitive damages, which aren't available under Iraqi law.

The lawsuit contends KBR is responsible because it maintained the barracks where the Army says a water pump shorted out and electrified Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth's shower water in 2008.

KBR attorneys have argued that three Army investigations have determined no one agency or company is to blame.





Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/04/06/state/n073049D12.DTL

---

More extensive article:


-----

Attorneys for Houston-based military contractor KBR Inc. want a federal judge in Pittsburgh to apply Iraqi law to a lawsuit filed by the mother of a Pittsburgh-area soldier who was electrocuted in Iraq.

U.S. District Judge Nora Berry Fischer says she wants both sides to file written arguments before she decides the issue argued at a pretrial hearing on Tuesday. But Fischer acknowledged the dispute is really about whether KBR might have to pay punitive damages, which aren't available under Iraqi law.

The lawsuit contends KBR is responsible because it maintained the barracks where the Army says a water pump shorted out and electrified Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth's shower water in 2008.

KBR attorneys have argued that three Army investigations have determined no one agency or company is to blame.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/04/06/state/n073049D12.DTL#ixzz1Il1luVwb

Wait, I thought we didn't want Sharia law - oh except when it is convenient. B*stards including Cheney and Bush!

[Roy Rolling]

1. HA! The chickens come home to roost

The "BR" part of KBR is Brown and Root, a Louisiana company. Louisiana passed one of those "help, shariah law is coming!" bills so KBR may be SOL. WTF?

[AlbertCat]

2. Are US Armed Forces barracks considered "Iraq" or the USA?

The US embassy and bases are in Iraq, but are they part of Iraq.... or the USA?

What a bunch of baloney. The company in charge of the quality and standards is to blame. If they have a problem, then they can sue their subcontractors themselves.

[blackspade]

3. So they are wanting Iraqi law to superceed US law?!

Where is the rethug outrage?
Silly me, it's a corporation that wants to use foriegn law so that is a-ok.

[groundloop]

4. Some fucking idiot does a crap job grounding a pump....

KBR hires "electricians" that don't know how to properly ground and bond pumps (which is pretty damned basic), one of our soldiers is electrocuted as a result, and KBR wants to play all kinds of legal tricks to deny compensation to his mother. All in the name of making a few quick Billion$ from no-bid contracts.

[lunasun]

5. Oh pleeeez.........where's your anti muslim in USA teabaggers now????????