What is the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA)?
The Federal Tort Claims Act is a law that allows civil lawsuits to be brought against the United States for negligent acts of its agents. The United States has sovereign immunity and cannot be sued in a tort action unless a federal law waives that immunity. The FTCA waives immunity to allow certain claims against the U.S. government. A patient who is injured as a result of negligent health care at a U.S. government health care facility (such as a VA, Indian Health Service, or Public Health Service facility) may have the right to bring a malpractice claim under the FTCA if the injury was caused by a federal employee.
