What Is the Federal Tort Claims Act?
For many years, the doctrine of sovereign immunity protected government entities from being held liable, or financially responsible, for the negligent acts of their employees. Sovereign immunity states that the government cannot be sued without its consent. When the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) was passed, however, it allowed citizens to sue the federal government for the first time – within certain parameters. What Does the Federal Tort Claims Act Mean? The Federal Tort Claims Act was enacted in 1946 to provide a means of compensating victims who suffered injuries, property damage or other…