"Word experience an error trying to open the file"

I installed Microsoft Office Professional 2010 about a month and a half ago and have not been having any problems until yesterday.  I received a word document as an attachment in my Outlook and I cannot open the file.  I keep getting the following error: "Word experienced an error trying to open the file. Try these suggestions - *check the file permissions for the document or drive, *make sure there is sufficient free memory or disk space, *open the file with the Text Recovery Converter" 

This same email was also sent to a coworker and she had no problem opening it - she is using word 2000. I also had another coworker send me a test word attachment so that it would come from a different email and I had the same problem with that attachment.

It was sent using Microsoft 2000 or 2003 and I have NOT had problems with her sending the older files when I switched to 2010. I can open other word files already saved on my computer from previous emails.

I also tried saving it on my computer and then opening word and when going to open the document right-click and open and repair and I receive the same error message.