In late November, an IED attack near Ghazni city in Afghanistan killed three U.S. servicemembers and injured three more. An American contractor was also wounded in the IED attack. All of the injured were immediately evacuated and received medical care.

This adds to the more than 100 members of the U.S. military that have been wounded in Afghanistan in 2018, and brings the total number of casualties in this period to 10. Currently, there are about 15,000 U.S. troops still in Afghanistan. There are also other NATO allies with troops in Afghanistan, who have also suffered casualties from IED attacks.

In total, thousands of U.S. military members have suffered because of an IED attack in Iraq or in Afghanistan. Although there is nothing that can undo the injuries caused by an IED attack, or bring a loved one lost in war back to life, servicemembers or their families may be able to file litigation against the groups responsible for the funding of these dangerous, explosive devices.

Indeed, the U.S. Department of Justice has reportedly discovered Iran’s involvement in funding these bombs for use by terrorist groups, despite U.S. sanctions placed on the country meant to prevent such actions.

How Iranian Sanctions Were Circumvented

So how were the U.S. sanctions, meant to prevent Iran from sponsoring terrorism, circumvented at all? Iran found foreign banks willing to work around the sanctions in exchange for significant profits.

Now, American authorities are investigating a number of banks suspected to be involved in circumventing the sanctions. So far, several banks have openly admitted their involvement, including HSBC of UK, Commerzbank of Germany, and BNP Paribas of France.

IEDs and EFPs: The Basics

In Iraq and Afghanistan, IED and EFP devices—types of explosives—are some of the main weapons used against U.S. military members.

An IED, or an Improvised Explosive Device, is a common roadside bomb, and has led to a significant percentage of U.S. casualties in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Indeed, 63 percent of coalition deaths in Iraq were caused by IEDs, and 66 percent of deaths in the Afghanistan war.

EFP devices, or Explosively Formed Penetrators, were once called the “most lethal weapon American forces faced in Iraq” by The New York Times. Although EFPs are responsible for fewer deaths, they are more lethal due to their power. In fact, EFPs are capable of piercing armor and flinging distances of 100 yards or more.

Filing an IED Attack Lawsuit

According to U.S. law, victims of terrorist attacks are allowed to sue conspirators partially responsible for the attacks. Under the 1992 Anti-Terrorism Act, U.S. nationals are allowed to sue over injuries caused “by reason of an act of international terrorism.”

In one such instance, victims of the bombing of the Kenya embassy filed litigation under this Act, and were subsequently awarded $907 million. Syria was hit with a $413 million judgment.

Those injured by an EFP or IED attack while serving in the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan, or the families of those who were killed, may be able to file litigation against the groups responsible for funding these explosives.

Filing a lawsuit cannot undo injuries or bring a loved one back to life, but it can at least help to provide some financial compensation, as well as help to hold those responsible accountable.

If you or a loved one was injured or killed by an IED or EFP while fighting in the Iraq or Afghanistan wars, legal recourse is available. Get help now by filling out the form on this page for a FREE case evaluation.

The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or anti-terrorist class action lawsuit is best for you. (In general, anti-terrorist lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.) After you fill out the form, the attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you. Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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