“Throughout the course of the Iraq campaign, a variety of weapons flowed into the country through direct purchases by the government of Iran,” wrote Colonel (ret.) Richard Kemp and Major (ret.) Chris Driver-Williams. “These included Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs), a shaped charge designed to penetrate armor. These weapons – often camouflaged as rocks – were identical to those employed by Hizbullah against Israeli forces. In 2006, the British Telegraph revealed that three Iranian factories were “mass producing” the roadside EFP bombs used to kill soldiers in Iraq.”
“Iran paid Taliban fighters $1,000 for each U.S. soldier they killed in Afghanistan,” they continued. “The Sunday Times reported that a Taliban operative received $18,000 from an Iranian firm in Kabul as reward for an attack in 2010 that killed several Afghan government troops and destroyed an American armored vehicle.”
According to Adm. Mike Mullen, the Chairmen of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time, Shiite militias in Iraq that were backed by Iran used sophisticated weapons, including rocket-boosted mortars and lethal version of IEDs that could pierce armor. The U.S.-led Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) reported that by late 2007, according to the U.S.-led Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), an estimated 21,200 Americans were either wounded or killed by IEDs in Iraq, and the Hizbullah and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-designed EFPs were now the most lethal bomb ever seen in the country. In 2009, General David Petraeus, Commanding General of the Multi-National Force in Iraq stated that Coalition forces were undergoing daily attacks using signature weapons that were only made in Iran.
Who Can File a Claim?
U.S. persons, including members of the armed forces, and their immediate family members, may be eligible to file a claim if it arises against a state sponsor of terrorism and results from an act of international terrorism. Our firm is currently investigating injuries and deaths that arose because of EFP and IED explosions, such as from “roadside bombs,” as well as other injuries and deaths that arose from RFPs, mortars, and other armaments, which occurred in Iraq and Afghanistan and that can be linked to Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism.
What Will Happen When My Claim Is Filed?
Once a legal claim is filed, a federal judge may determine whether you or the immediate family members of a terrorism victim may recover on a terrorism claim under applicable federal laws. If such an award is granted, the judge may award an amount of money to compensate the terror victim and his or her immediate family members for pain, suffering, medical bills, and future medical and financial needs, among other damages including punitive damages. The court’s judgment may then be presented to one or more funds established by the government for payment. Payments may be made over time, or may occur in one lump sum. There are no guarantees of recovery.
Who is Bailey Cowan Heckaman PLLC?
Our firm has a national practice with hometown roots. We have the resources necessary to see a case through to a successful outcome. Our clients, many of whom have fought and died on behalf of this great country, deserve their day in court. Our firm’s experience in the courtroom helps maximize your chances of recovery on your claim. Armed with passion, skill, caring, and decades of legal experience, Bailey Cowan Heckaman PLLC is ready to fight for our potential clients’ claims.
