Attorneys for residents and business owners from the Lower 9th Ward will be in federal court Thursday, fighting for compensation for homes and businesses lost when the levees broke there after Hurricane Katrina.

Their lawsuit claims one of the nation's biggest engineering and construction companies, Washington Group International, contributed to the flood wall collapse because it failed to safeguard two 20 foot holes it dug in connection with a demolition project at an east bank industrial site.

Lead plaintiffs’ attorney Joseph M. Bruno claims breaks occurred by each of these holes, which resulted in widespread flooding from Katrina.

WGI argues it is immune from the lawsuit because it is a government contractor. Bruno disagrees, saying "WGI cannot be immune from suit because the Corps of Engineers is not immune from suit." The courts decided to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to go to trial in April for its alleged negligence.

Bruno says WGI has at least half a billion dollars in insurance coverage, and some $8 billion in revenue.

The hearing is set for 10:00 a.m. November 13 in Judge Stanwood Duval's chambers.