A self-diagnosed sufferer of wi-fi induced illness in Albuquerque is suing his neighbor for not keeping her Skyping and Iphoning confined within her property line.
While the lawsuit has little chance of success given the nonexistence of credible medical evidence that electromagnetic radiation emitted from these FCC approved devices can have any measurable impact on the human body (much less cause illness), the story speaks as much to the general lack of understanding of science in America as it does for our overly-litigious society.
Arthur Firstenberg, in using the court system to attempt to intimidate his neighbor Raphaela Monribot into limiting her use of wireless devices, exemplifies a classic case of abuse of the American court system. The threat of a lawsuit, even a lawsuit without merit (in fact, the judge already threw out the claim that Mrs. Monribot’s iphone was causing his illness as States lack the authority over issue and is considering whether to dismiss the entire case) often is intimidating enough of a bully pulpit to coerce compliance. Even if Arthur Firstenberg’s case is unsuccessful (as it most certainly will be), Mrs. Monribot may still be on the hook for legal costs required to defend herself against this frivolous lawsuit.
Unfortunately, the unfounded paranoia over radio wave’s deleterious effects on human health are not going to disappear anytime soon. Despite the complete lack of convincing evidence that there is any correlation (much less a causal explanation) between cellular phone usage and brain cancer, San Francisco Mayor (and potential future Lieutenant Governor) Gavin Newsom is pushing a requirement that all cellular phones sold in San Francisco disclose their radiation emission level.
Asking the public to understand the physics behind devices using EM radiation does not seem a likely solution. The federal government, which regulates the electromagnetic spectrum, should remove the authority from State courts to adjudicate disputes or enact regulations regarding radio-transmitting devices. It should also raise the barrier to filing lawsuits in Federal Court to make it impossible to seek damages for symptoms of illnesses for which there is no strong evidence of their existence.
LINK:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/la-na-hometown-santa-fe28-2010mar28,0,7549400.story
