The Federal Tort Claims Act is a statute which removed the power of the federal government to claim immunity from a lawsuit for damages due to negligent or intentional injury by a federal employee in the scope of his/her work for the government. It also established a set of regulations and format for making claims in a federal district court. The FTCA generally applies to claims
1. for money damages,
2. arising from damage to property, personal injury, or death,
3. caused by a negligent or wrongful act
4. of a federal government employee
5. acting within the scope of his or her employment,
6. in circumstances where a private person would be liable under state law.
Each of these six conditions must be satisfied before the federal court will find the government liable under the FTCA. In addition, the plaintiff must file an administrative claim with the appropriate government agency in compliance with 28 USCS ?§ 2675 before commencing an action in federal court. Under the FTCA, the United States is liable for money damages only for loss of the claimant's property, personal injury, or death caused by the negligent or wrongful act or mission of any employee of the Government while the employee was acting within the scope of his/her office of employment.
