Workers Comp Dosimetry Case

[VERNIG.PETER@FORUM.VA.GOV]

This was related by the RSO [now retired] of Stanford University to
the No. Calif. Chapter HPS ten or more years ago.  They had just won
a case after about 5 years.  The claimant was an X-ray Tech who claimed
that her thyroid [I think] cancer was the result of occupational exposure.
All of her exposure was not at Stanford, there were one or two other hosp-
itals.  Her total lifetime exposure was less than one years occupation
allowance [5 rem].  Her case had two points, as I recall;  1]  Radiation
is really much worse than "they" tell us.  [You can imagine the details
and the probable proponants] & 2] Her exposure was really much higher
than recorded because she wore her badge inside of lead aprons instead of
outside as Stanford Universtiy Hospital proceedures directed.
 
>Maybe there's someone out there from Stanford that can supply details.
Without them it would be hard to say, as I am tempted to, that Stanford
might have won because she violated their procedures.  Anyway she 
challenged the dosimetry records and failed in her case.
 
I'm not sure if Workers Comp cases work like tort cases in establishing a
president.  But since, workers comp laws are state statutes, a ruling in
California would probably have no status here in Colorado or anywhere 
else in this country except California.
 
Hopefully just information, but any opinions are mine alone.
 
Peter G. Vernig, VA Medical Center, Denver, vernig.peter@forum.va.gov