Opinion ID: 804877
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Negligence by NWS Meteorologist Janus

Text: In this appeal, Ms. LeGrande raises, for the first time in this litigation, the allegation that NWS meteorologist Janus negligently failed to provide his turbulence predictions to FAA personnel for dissemination to pilots. This is a new tack, which goes beyond the allegation of negligence by FAA employees that Ms. LeGrande raised in her administrative claim and in her pleadings in the district court. See R.45-2 at 4 (Administrative Complaint); R.1 at 3 (Complaint); R.45 at 2-3 (Amended Complaint). The FTCA contains a threshold requirement that an administrative claim be “presented in writing to the appropriate Federal agency.” 28 U.S.C. § 2401(b). Indeed, no lawsuit may be filed “unless the claimant shall have first presented the claim to the appropriate Federal agency.” 28 U.S.C. § 2675. The Supreme Court has held that this requirement is jurisdictional and not subject to waiver. McNeil v. United States, 508 U.S. 106, 112-13 (1993). The allegations in an administrative claim are only sufficient if they put the “legally sophisticated reader” on notice of a connection between the alleged injury and 16 (...continued) had not clearly erred when it found that the information withheld from the pilot “would not have led [the pilot] to change course.” Id. We also noted that the “FAA personnel committed errors,” including the failure to provide the MIS to the pilot. Id. This statement was made in passing without significant discussion and, furthermore, was unnecessary to the outcome in that case. No. 11-2205 27 the specific conduct that the plaintiff is asserting as a basis for the claim. Palay v. United States, 349 F.3d 418, 42627 (7th Cir. 2003) (holding that an agency is notified properly of a claim for purposes of the FTCA if the claim would have been apparent to a “legally sophisticated reader”). The pertinent regulations require an agency in receipt of a claim to transfer that claim to another agency if the activities that gave rise to the claim were activities of that other agency. 28 C.F.R. § 14.2(b)(1). The regulations further provide that, if more than one federal agency is or may be involved in the events that give rise to the claim, the agency receiving the claim must contact the other affected agency in order to designate the single agency that will investigate and decide the merits of the claim. 28 C.F.R. § 14.2(b)(2). We have examined the administrative claim filed by Ms. LeGrande. It alleges six claims of negligence against the FAA; each claim pointedly alleges a breach of an FAA Job Order. It alleges no claim of negligence against the NWS. In the box for the entry of the “Appropriate Federal Agency” to which the claim is directed, only the FAA is mentioned. In short, the administrative claim is clear; only the FAA’s actions are alleged to have been negligent. Under these circumstances, no provision of 28 C.F.R. § 14.2 required the FAA to transfer the claim to the NWS, to notify the NWS of the claim or to determine which agency would undertake the investigation and adjudication of the claim. The very specific allegations of the claim allege negligence on behalf of the FAA and no other federal agency. 28 No. 11-2205 As the Supreme Court noted in McNeil, the statutory threshold requirement of filing an administrative claim with the appropriate agency is clear and cannot be characterized as a “trap for the unwary.” 508 U.S. at 113. Because Ms. LeGrande failed to comply with that administrative requirement, her new allegations are barred by the plain language of the statute.