Re: Radiation and Lawsiuts - Summary

[MVala@USCCMAIL.uscc.bms.com]

     I missed the original thread, so i couldn't comment in time for your
     summary report.

     I work for a large by-product licensee that has manufactured and
     distributed radioactive products for over thirty years.  According to the
     facility manager, every retired employee who later contracted any form of
     cancer has filed a lawsuit against the facility.  My role is to supply the
     dosimetry records for these cases.  I am not informed of the resolution but
     I believe most are settled out of court.  All of these cases involved doses
     that were within the regulatory limits.  According to the Industrial
     Hygiene people, the chemical side of the facility has many similar cases
     for chemical exposure.  We are a large corporation with deep pockets, these
     types of lawsuits are becoming more common and the rate of new suits always
     increase after a lay off.

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Radiation and Lawsiuts - Summary
Author:  radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu at Internet/X400
Date:    7/1/96 4:34 PM


This posting fulfills my promise to summarize responses to my inquiry about
lawsuits against hospitals or colleges in which someone claimed a
radiation-related injury.  No on identified a single case.  Several people
referred me to the RPM article discussing the Whiting v. Pilgrim decision.
(Basically, victims cannot introduce a speculative reconstruction of dose
where a dosimetry system is in place unless they can show errors in the
measurements and/or system.)

Regards,
Dave Scherer