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 HOUSTON,  Nov. 2, 2012  /PRNewswire/ -- A federal court jury awarded  $85million  to 12 Oregon National Guard soldiers who alleged military contractorKBR, Inc. knowingly exposed them to a carcinogen at a water treatment plant theyguarded in  Iraq  in 2003, the soldiers' legal team said tonight.The  Portland, Ore.  jury unanimously found KBR was negligent and showed"reckless and outrageous indifference" to the health, safety and welfare of thesoldiers, each of which was awarded  $850,000  in non-economic damages and $6.25 million  in punitive damages.The Oregon National Guard soldiers, along with other U.S. and British militarypersonnel, guarded the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant, near Basra,  Iraq,which KBR was contracted to rehabilitate by the U.S. government. The soldiersalleged KBR misled them about the presence and risks associated with sodiumdichromate, an anticorrosive agent used to clean pipes at the plant. Sodiumdichromate contains hexavalent chromium, a known carcinogen banned in the U.S.Trial evidence included KBR documents noting a "serious health problem" atQarmat Ali and "almost 60% of the people now exhibit the symptoms" of sodiumdichromate exposure.The soldiers testified they have health problems, including respiratory, skin,gastrointestinal, and lung issues because of the toxic exposure. The trialincluded videotape testimony of Indiana National Guard Lt. Col.  James Gentry,who died in 2009 of lung cancer linked by the Veterans Administration to thesodium dichromate exposure at Qarmat Ali.The soldiers are represented by  Michael Patrick Doyle,  Jeffrey L. Raizner, and Patrick M. Dennis, of Doyle Raizner LLP, of  Houston;  Gabriel Hawkins, ofCohen & Malad LLP, of  Indianapolis; and  David F. Sugerman, of  David F.Sugerman Attorney PC, of  Portland, Ore.Michael Patrick Doyle, of Doyle Raizner LLP, said, "This verdict is an importantstep toward obtaining justice for the U.S. and British military personnel whoface serious health problems and uncertainty because of KBR's negligence atQarmat Ali. This jury gave these war veterans and their families what KBR wouldnot - justice and respect for their service to our nation."About 150 more Qarmat Ali-related claims are pending against KBR in federalcourts in  Portland  and  Houston.The case is "Rocky Bixby, et al., v. KBR, Inc., et al," Case No. 3:09-CV-632-PKin the U.S. District Court for the District of  Oregon.contact:  Erin Powers, Powers MediaWorks LLC, for Doyle Raizner LLP,281.703.6000,  info@powersmediaworks.com. SOURCE  Doyle Raizner LLP