ATLANTA , Georgia ( CNN ) -- A federal court has ordered a Kuwait-based contractor to pay nearly $ 5 million in damages to the family of a U.S. military officer killed in Iraq -- a rare court decision holding a contracting company accountable for its actions in the war . Lt. Col. Dominic Baragona was the highest-ranking soldier to die in Iraq when he was killed May 19 , 2003 . Army Lt. Col. Dominic `` Rocky '' Baragona was just an hour away from a U.S. base in Kuwait -- ultimately headed home to the United States -- when a tractor-trailer operated by Kuwait and Gulf Link Transport Company slammed into his Humvee on May 19 , 2003 , killing him instantly . Baragona , a West Point graduate , was 42 years old and the highest-ranking soldier to have died in the war at the time . His family filed a wrongful death suit against KGL . Earlier this month , the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia sided with the family , holding the Kuwait company negligent in Baragona 's death for failing to provide safe passage on the three-lane road where the accident occurred . A key issue in the judge 's decision was whether a U.S. court had jurisdiction over a foreign contractor and whether there was a legal basis to find it negligent . Ultimately , Judge William Duffey found that there was . `` The court enters judgment in the amount of $ 4,907,048 to be paid by KGL in a single lump payment , '' the judge wrote in his 12-page decision issued on November 5 . Baragona 's father , Dominic Baragona , a former U.S. Marine , told CNN he is embarrassed his family was forced into a lawsuit to learn details surrounding his son 's death . He also said the court decision is bittersweet : No amount of money will ever bring his son back , but it feels good that a court of law sided with his family . Watch family describe Rocky 's hugs , his Mustang and his character » . `` You feel good for the Rock , '' he said of his boy . `` We 're going to make KGL sweat it a little bit . I mean they 're going to remember Rocky 's name . '' Baragona 's sister , Pam , added , `` Even in his death , he 's still handing out more messages -- very quietly , in Rocky 's way . '' CNN sought comment from KGL for this story , but got no response . The law firm Crowell & Moring , which has represented KGL in the past , declined comment . KGL has received millions of dollars in U.S.-government contracts . On its Web site , the company says it `` performs multiple operations such as providing of vehicles and equipments to customers , '' including the U.S. Army and coalition forces . It also boasts of having more than $ 1 billion in market capitalization . CNN legal analyst Jeffery Toobin said the court decision theoretically `` does open the door to more lawsuits '' against contractors , but that the Baragona family is a long way from ever seeing the money . `` It is always very hard to collect judgments against foreign companies and , when you overlay the chaos of Iraq , it makes it extremely difficult -- if not impossible , '' Toobin said . The court decision comes at a time when Congress has been closely scrutinizing contractors and seeking ways to hold the companies accountable for their actions in war zones . The Baragonas say their suit was never about money . They would like to see changes made in the contracting business , most importantly to have third-party investigations carried out when something goes wrong and to keep everyone abreast during that reporting process . `` [ Rocky ] was about improving and changing systems so that we had a better Army . And that 's what he believed in and that 's what he dedicated his life to . If in his death , he adds more on to that -- that 's what I 'm fighting for , '' said Pam Baragona . If the family ever gets paid , they say they want to set up a foundation to honor their son and brother to help pay for college educations of deserving students . `` Rock 's the little guy . We have to vindicate for him . We have to take care of the little guy , '' his sister said . `` Creating a legacy for him is a huge responsibility . '' Born on Flag Day on June 14 , 1960 , Rocky Baragona dedicated his life to the military , entering West Point after high school and graduating among the top of his class in 1982 . His motto was : `` More than expected . '' He was one of seven children , five boys and two girls . One brother , Christopher , died of leukemia just before he would have turned 9 . The family says it was a young , energetic and super smart Rocky who `` held our family together through that dark time . '' `` Rocky was my heart , '' his mother , Vilma , said . So sharp was Rocky that he attended a computer camp in the mid-1970s and then taught a computer class in high school for two years because nobody else at school knew much about computers , his mom said . Rocky loved the military . He also loved gadgets , the Cleveland Indians , the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cleveland Browns . His father , Dominic , said he spoke with his son just two hours before he was killed in Iraq . As the commander of the 19th Maintenance Battalion based out of Fort Sill , Oklahoma , his son was helping his soldiers get out of Iraq en route to Camp Victory in Kuwait . Once at the Kuwait base , they were scheduled to head home to Fort Sill . `` I remember asking him : 'Well , Rock , is there anything I have to worry about ? ' `` the father said . `` He said , 'The only thing you have to worry about , Dad , is something stupid happening . ' `` According to the lawsuit , Baragona was traveling south through Iraq as part of a three-vehicle convoy when the crash happened . The suit claims the KGL tractor-trailer struck a pile of dried concrete that had spilled on the road , jack-knifing the big rig and then slamming into Baragona 's Humvee . The soldier driving Baragona 's vehicle survived the accident . The Baragona family never expected more than four years later to be talking to a reporter about their son over the Thanksgiving holiday , a court decision and the grief they 've endured -- grief over losing a young child to leukemia and then a grown son three decades later to an accident in war . `` It just never goes away , '' his mother said of her pain . The father says he and Rocky loved to talk politics . Rocky would always take the opposite position just to rile up his old man . `` I did n't win too many arguments off him because he was so damn sharp , '' he said . `` To me , he was the guy I could n't wait to talk to . '' The dad then paused and said , `` What a great relationship . '' E-mail to a friend .
Federal court orders Kuwaiti contractor to pay $ 5 million to soldier 's family . Lt. Col. Dad : `` They 're going to remember Rocky 's name '' Ruling comes at a time when Congress is weighing contractor accountability .