Environmental Health Specialist Liability: What Will Happen if a Specialist is Sued for Negligence?

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Environmental health specialists often are concerned about the prospect of being sued by a person who is disgruntled about a permit application denial, permit suspension or revocation, or other negative action. Specialists fear that their decisions, particularly those with serious financial implications, will be called into question before a court. These lawsuits do occur, particularly in the area of onsite wastewater permitting, but they are not always successful. This bulletin discusses some of the legal concepts and concerns related to environmental health specialist liability.

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