High court rejects Iraq case against Halliburton

The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a woman who wants to sue Halliburton for the brain injury her husband suffered when a truck in a fuel convoy crashed in Iraq.

The justices, without comment Monday, let stand a federal appeals court ruling dismissing the lawsuit filed by Annette Carmichael of Atlanta, on behalf of her husband, Sgt. Keith Carmichael. The Obama administration recommended denial of the appeal.

The soldier was a gunner assigned to ride in a tanker truck operated by Kellogg, Brown & Root - Halliburton's former subsidiary - during the convoy in 2004. He was thrown and pinned beneath the truck when the civilian driver failed to negotiate a curve.

According to court documents, Carmichael was left in a permanent vegetative state.

Carmichael sued KBR and Halliburton in Georgia state court in 2006. The companies had the suit transferred to federal court where they won dismissal.

The case is Carmichael v. Kellogg, Brown & Root, 09-683.