Iraq Burn Pit Exposure Lawyer

More than 15,000 veterans returned home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with serious health problems from exposure to burn pits.

Need a Texas Iraq Burn Pit Lawyer? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one was diagnosed with health problems from burn pit exposure in Iraq or Afghanistan, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit.

UPDATE: U.S. Senate Passes Honoring Our PACT Act

In June 2022, the U.S. Senate voted 84-14 to pass the Honoring Our PACT Act, a bill that will expand health benefits to millions of veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits, Agent Orange, and radiation.

Due to a technical error, the Senate had to vote again. Shockingly, it was delayed when dozens of Republicans flipped their vote. In August 2022, the Senate finally voted 86-11 to approve the PACT Act, achieving health benefits for 3.5 million veterans after a years-long effort.

The PACT Act also expands benefits for thousands of veterans who were harmed by Agent Orange and radiation.

Burn pit veterans would be eligible for VA health benefits for dozens of injuries, including:

Asthma
Head cancer
Neck cancer
Respiratory cancer
Gastrointestinal cancer
Reproductive cancer
Lymphoma
Lymphomatic cancer
Kidney cancer
Brain cancer
Melanoma
Pancreatic cancer
Chronic bronchitis
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Constrictive bronchiolitis or obliterative bronchiolotis
Emphysema
Granulomatour disease
Interstitial lung disease
Pleuritis
Pulmonary fibrosis
Sarcoidosis
Chronic sinusitis
Chronic rinitis
Glioblastoma

What Are Burn Pits?

Burn pits were huge open-air fires that were used to incinerate all types of trash produced by the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan.

One of the biggest was a 10-acre burn pit at Balad Air Base, which was fed with JP8 jet fuel and burned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, burning up to 200 tons of trash per day at its peak in 2007.

Between 2002 and 2009, there were no rules for what was allowed to be burned, and many of the materials that were burned were extremely hazardous — things like used batteries, plastic, chemicals, tires, medical waste, human waste, Styrofoam, metal, and body parts.

What’s the Problem?

For the U.S. military veterans and innocent bystanders living and working nearby, it was impossible to avoid breathing the polluted air.

It was not until 2010 that Congress finally banned burn pits except where there were no alternatives — but the damage was done. More than 15,000 veterans filed disability claims related to burn pit exposure with the Veterans Benefits Administration between 2007 and 2021.

Adding insult to injury, the U.S. government was initially reluctant to help. The issue has been reminiscent of Vietnam veterans who had to fight for years to get compensation for Agent Orange exposure.

Things got even worse in 2019, when the U.S. Supreme Court rejected lawsuits against the military contractor KBR (formerly Halliburton Corp.) involving veterans who accused the company of negligence in running the burn pits.

Fortunately, lawmakers and the courts are finally taking action. In January 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take on the case of Le Roy Torres, a veteran who was forced to resign from his previous job because he developed severe breathing problems and a toxic brain injury from burn pit exposure in Iraq.

The VA has also created a Burn Pit Registry for veterans who served Desert Shield and Desert Storm (ODS/S), Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Enduring Freedom (OEF), and New Dawn (OND).

President Visits ‘Burn Pit’ Veterans in Texas to Advocate for Medical Help

In March 2022, President Joe Biden also traveled to Fort Worth, Texas, to meet with veterans who were suffering from health problems related to burn pit exposure, where he advocated for more medical care for U.S. military veterans. Biden’s eldest son Beau died of brain cancer in 2015 after being exposed to burn pits in Iraq, including Camp Victory in Baghdad and Balad Air Force Base.

Lung Injuries Linked to Burn Pit Exposure

Asthma
Trouble breathing
Chronic bronchitis (Bronchiolitis)
COPD
Constrictive bronchitis
Emphysema
Granulomatous disease
Interstitial lung disease
Lung cancer
Pneumonia
Sleep apnea
And more

Need a Iraq Burn Pit Lawyer in Texas?

Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.

Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”

The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact our law firm for a free case review.