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Postal employee exposed to anthrax files lawsuit

Emergency Management Alert, January 14, 2003

A Washington postal employee who contracted inhalation anthrax at work filed suit January 7 against Postmaster General John Potter and two other managers for $100 million, alleging that managers failed to protect workers from exposure to anthrax, according to Government Executive magazine. At least two New Jersey postal workers plan to file similar lawsuits during the next few weeks.

Employees at mail processing plants in Washington and Hamilton, NJ, were exposed to anthrax in October 2001 after the mail system received a series of anthrax-laced letters. Two postal workers at the Washington plant died from the exposure, while several others at both facilities became ill.

Richmond's suit claims that managers acted with "deliberate indifference" by not moving quickly to safeguard employees. A Postal Service spokesman had no comment on the lawsuit last week.

The New Jersey lawsuit also plans to argue that the agency was slow to protect workers, said attorney Gregory Lattimer, who represents all three individuals. The three all exhibit the same symptoms-shortness of breath, headaches, and memory loss-and currently receive workers compensation benefits, Lattimer said.

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