Title 28—Judicial Administration--Volume 1
PART 801—FEDERAL TORT CLAIMS ACT PROCEDURE
§ 801.1   Claims filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
If an agency employee is acting within the scope of his or her employment and causes injury to a member of the public, any claim for money damages for personal injury, death, damage to property, or loss of property caused by the employee's negligent or wrongful act or omission is a claim against the United States and must first be presented by the injured party to the appropriate federal agency for administrative action under the Federal Tort Claims Act. General provisions for processing such administrative claims are contained in 28 CFR part 14. The provisions in this part supplement the general provisions in order to describe specific procedures to follow when filing a claim with the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia (“CSOSA”) or the District of Columbia Pretrial Services Agency (“PSA”).
§ 801.2   Filing a claim.
(a) Who may file the claim? You may file a claim for money damages against CSOSA or PSA if you believe that a CSOSA or PSA employee has injured you or has damaged or lost property that you own. You may file a claim on behalf of an injured or deceased person or owner of damaged or lost property if you are acting as agent, executor, administrator, parent, guardian, legal or other representative provided you submit evidence of your authority to act on behalf of the claimant.
(b) What information do you need to submit in your claim? (1) The easiest way to ensure that you will include all necessary information for your claim is to submit a completed Standard Form 95 (“SF 95”). The SF 95 is available from the Office of the General Counsel, CSOSA, (see address in paragraph (c) of this section) and on the Internet at http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/forms/forms.htm.
(2) If you do not use the SF 95, you must submit written notification of the incident that resulted in the injury, loss, or damage. Along with this notification, you must present a claim for money damages in a sum certain (that is, a precise dollar amount) for injury to or loss of property, personal injury, or death alleged to have occurred on the basis of the incident. Failure to include the precise dollar amount for your claim may mean that you will have difficulty pursuing your claim in court.
(c) Where do you submit the claim? You should submit the claim (whether against CSOSA or PSA) directly to the Office of the General Counsel, CSOSA, 633 Indiana Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20004. Claims submitted to any other office of CSOSA or PSA are forwarded to the Office of the General Counsel.
(d) When must you submit the claim? You must submit the claim so that CSOSA/PSA receives the claim within 2 years after the claim accrues. Mailing the claim by that date is not sufficient if CSOSA/PSA does not receive the claim by that date. Generally speaking, a claim accrues at the time of the injury. In those instances where neither the injury nor its cause is immediately apparent, the claim accrues when you discover (or reasonably should discover) the injury and its cause.
(e) May you amend your claim? Yes, you may amend your claim at any time prior to final agency action or prior to your filing suit in court.
§ 801.3   Processing the claim.
(a) Will CSOSA/PSA contact you about your claim? (1) If you have provided all necessary information to process your claim, you will receive an acknowledgement indicating the filing date (that is, the date CSOSA/PSA received your claim) and the assigned claim number. Refer to the claim number in any further correspondence you may have with CSOSA/PSA on the claim.
(2) If you have failed to include all necessary information, CSOSA/PSA will return your claim to you with a request for the necessary additional information.
(3) If your claim should have been filed with another agency, CSOSA/PSA will forward the claim to the appropriate agency and notify you of the transfer, or return the claim to you if the appropriate agency cannot be determined or if the transfer is otherwise not feasible.
(b) Who is responsible for offering settlement or denial on the claim? The General Counsel is responsible for investigating the claim and, after consultation with PSA (if the claim is against PSA) and the Department of Justice when appropriate, determining whether the claim should be settled or denied.
(c) How long does CSOSA/PSA have to consider your claim? CSOSA/PSA has 6 months from the date of filing to make a settlement offer or to deny your claim. If you amend your claim (see § 801.2(e)) or request that your claim be reconsidered (see § 801.4(b)(1)), CSOSA/PSA has an additional 6 months from the date of the amendment or the filing of the request for reconsideration to make a final disposition of the claim.
(d) Will appreciation or depreciation be considered? Yes, appreciation or depreciation is considered in settling a claim for lost or damaged property.
§ 801.4   Final disposition of claim.
(a) What if you accept the settlement offer? If you accept a settlement offer, you give up your right to bring a lawsuit against the United States or against any employee of the government whose action or lack of action gave rise to your claim.
(b) What if your claim is denied? (1) If your claim is denied, you have 30 days from the date of CSOSA/PSA's written notification to make a written request that the agency reconsider the denial.
(2) If your claim is denied or you reject the settlement offer, you have 6 months from the date of mailing of CSOSA/PSA's notice of denial to file a civil action in the appropriate U.S. District Court.
(c) What if you do not hear from CSOSA/PSA within 6 months of the filing date? If you do not hear from CSOSA/PSA within 6 months of the filing date for the claim, you may consider your claim denied. You may then proceed with filing a civil action in the appropriate U.S. District Court.