WASHINGTON (WAVY) — American service members and their survivors who were victims of terror attacks will get compensation from a recent judgment under a little-known law.

The $578 million judgment was awarded May 30 in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in a case argued by the Pensacola-based law firm, Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz.

“It marks a major milestone,” said attorney Doug Kreis during a Tuesday afternoon interview with WAVY. The money will go to veterans who were injured or killed by state-sponsored terrorism — in this initial case, specifically Iran supplying weapons that were used in Iraq.

“Whether it’s IED, mortar rounds, rocket propelled grenades, sniper, small arms fire during complex attacks,” Kreis said.

The case started with a dozen plaintiffs, among them Norfolk native Timothy Pope Jr. He was just 22 when he deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pope was in Iraq for just a few weeks in February 2005, driving an Abrams tank clearing a route in a patrol. An IED exploded and Pope was inside the tank, just 10 feet from the blast.

Pope had leg, hip, arm and head injuries, as well as damaged internal organs. The blast left him with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, and other mental health conditions. Pope was awarded the Purple Heart and the Global War on Terrorism medals, among other commendations.

Kreis estimates Pope could get about $6 million in compensation over the next 14 years. Pope wasn’t ready yet for an interview, but told WAVY he was happy with the judgment and the opportunity that he and other veterans had to tell their stories.

“Mr. Pope is starting at 0% this year,” Kreis said. “We hope it will be somewhere in the range of 2% to 5%, paid in this annual year, and then he will receive payments every year.”

The money comes from the U.S. Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Fund. It includes assets seized from Iran, including bank accounts and oil tankers.

“The fund is going to be around until 2039, until and unless Congress changes that,” Kreis said.

Kreis’s Pensacola-based law firm has about 400 additional plaintiffs who will share in the judgment of more than half a billion dollars, including about 24 Virginia veterans.

“We have received a lot of inquiries, which is wonderful because the fund is there for a reason,” he said.

Kreis said his firm will continue to bring additional cases, and future awards will depend on the amount of assets in the fund at any given time. To determine eligibility, contact the law firm here.