United States v. Victor John Gomez

Appellee-plaintiff recovered a $15,000 judgment against the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U. S.C. §§ 1346(b), 2671 et seq. The award was for injuries sustained in the operation of a power saw while he was engaged in work on a prison construction crew as a federal prisoner in a federal correctional institution. The trial court concluded that such recovery was proper under United States v. Muniz, 374 U. S. 150, 83 S.Ct. 1850, 10 L.Ed.2d 805. After the judgment was entered, the Supreme Court of the United States held in United States v. Demko, 385 U.S. 149, 87 S.Ct. 382, 17…