Court Dismisses Federal Employee's Claims for Exposure to Toxins

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by a federal museum worker against the government and other parties, ruling in part that she failed to pursue administrative remedies available under the Federal Tort Claims Act before filing suit. Valencia v. Department of Interior, et al., No. 3:08-CV-69 (M.D. Ala.).

Judge W. Keith Watkins of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama also dismissed Teresa Valencia's negligence claims against the government in his Oct. 7 order, saying that while those claims are governed by the Federal Employees compensation Act, rather than the FTCA, dismissal …