Lawsuit against U.S. manufacturers

Radiation victims demand millions

The former radar technician with cancer of the Bundeswehr have sued
the U.S. manufacturer of radar equipment for damages and compensation
in the millions. The Berlin attorney Reiner Geulen submitted in
collaboration with four U.S. firms in federal court in El Paso in the
U.S. state of Texas an appropriate class action.

Class action lawsuit against U.S. manufacturers

Geulen claims to represent more than 450 army soldiers and nearly 400
members of other NATO armies, who worked between 1958 and mid-80s on
radar equipment, and American manufacturers are suffering from cancer
or have died. The action is directed against the large American
electronics companies Raytheon Company, Lucent Technologies, General
Electric Corporation, Honeywell International Inc., ITT Gilfillan Inc.
and ITT Industries Inc.

The venue El Paso Geulen explained by the fact that there have
complained about the firms are based, and the radar technicians were
also trained there on the devices. The complaint referred to the
affected part for many years with the operation or maintenance of
radar equipment had been commissioned. They were exposed to a
permanent radioactive radiation. Against this radiation, there have
been no protection at that time, the staff also had not been informed
of the risks.

Damages in the millions

With a verdict expect the attorney in late 2003. The claims were not
quantified the amount. The lower limit for compensation under U.S.
law, however, lies in one to two million U.S. dollars per person.

Mitkläger is loud Geulen the federal government to support victim
radar. The union wants to sue a systematic medical examination of all
persons who were ever employed at the affected devices. The aim is
possibly still undetected cancers detected and the prognosis of those
affected are increased.

Cases and deaths

Total Geulen claims to represent 822 victims of non-shielded radars.
They were mostly suffering from leukemia or testicular cancer. 185 are
now dead, would be added up to three deaths per week. Except to
American units had been worked on other equally hazardous equipment,
including German, manufacturer and in the case of 126 former NVA
soldiers on Soviet products.

In March Geulen filed on behalf of six cancer-stricken former army
radar experts test cases against the Ministry of Defense before the
District Courts of Bonn and Frankfurt / Oder. Requires additional
pension payments and a unique smart money of 60,000 €. According to
the lawyer but currently these claims to rest. A 16-member Commission
is charged with scientists testing the relationship between the
activity of the radars and the cancer. Only after submission of the
result early 2003, the process would resume.