An Act to provide for the recovery from tortuously liable third persons of the cost of hospital and medical care and treatment furnished by the United States
PL 87-693 (H.R.298), enacted 09/25/1962

76 STAT.] 
PUBLIC LAW 87-693-SEPT. 25, 1962 
593 
Public Law 87-693 
AN ACT 
To provide for the recovery from tortiously liable third i>ersons of the cost of 
hospital and medical care and treatment furnished by the United States. 
September 25, 1962 
[H. R.2 98] 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of AmeHca in Congress assembled, That (a) in any 
case in which the United States is authorized or required by law to 
furnish hospital, medical, surgical, or dental care and treatment 
(including prostheses and medical appliances) to a person who is 
injured or suffers a disease, after the effective date of this Act, under 
circumstances creating a tort liability upon some third person (other 
than or in addition to the United States and except employers of sea-
men treated under the provisions of section 322 of the Act of July 1, 
1944 (58 Stat. 696), as amended (42 U.S.C. 249)) to pay damages 
therefor, the United States shall have a right to recover from said 
third person the reasonable value of the care and treatment so fur-
nished or to be furnished and shall, as to this right be subrogated to 
any right or claim that the injured or diseased person, his guardian, 
personal representative, estate, dependents, or survivors has against 
such third person to the extent of the reasonable value of the care and 
treatment so furnished or to be furnished. 
The head of the depart-
ment or agency of the United States furnishing such care or treatment 
may also require the injured or diseased person, his guardian, personal 
representative, estate, dependents, or survivors, as appropriate, to 
assign his claim or cause of action against the third pei'son to the 
extent of that right or claim. 
(b) The United States may, to enforce such right, (1) intervene 
or join in any action or proceeding brought by the injured or diseased 
person, his guardian, personal representative, estate, dependents, or 
survivors, against the third person who is liable for the injury or 
disease; or (2) if such action or proceeding is not commenced within 
six months after the first day in which care and treatment is furnished 
by the United States in connection with the injury or disease involved, 
institute and prosecute legal proceedings against the third person who 
is liable for the injury or disease, in a State or Federal court, either 
alone (in its own name or in the name of the injured person, his 
guardian, personal representative, estate, dependents, or survivors) or 
in conjunction with the injured or diseased person, his guardian, per-
sonal representative, estate, dependents, or survivors. 
(c) The provisions of this section shall not apply with respect to 
hospital, medical, surgical, or dental care and treatment (including 
prostheses and medical appliances) furnished by the Veterans' Ad-
ministration to an eligible veteran for a service-connected disability 
under the provisions of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code. 
SEC. 2. (a) The President may prescribe regulations to carry out 
this Act, including regulations with respect to the determination and 
establishment of the reasonable value of the hospital, medical, surgical, 
or dental care and treatment (including prostheses and medical ap-
pliances) furnished or to be furnished. 
(b) To the extent prescribed by regulations under subsection (a), 
the head of the department or agency of the United States concerned 
may (1) compromise, or settle and execute a release of, any claim 
which the United States has by virtue of the right established by 
section 1; or (2) waive any such claim, in whole or in part, for the 
convenience of the Government, or if he determines that collection 
would result in undue hardship upon the person who suffered the 
injury or disease resulting in care or treatment described in section 1. 
Hospital and 
medical care, third 
party liability. 
Legal pro-
ceedings. 
Veterans' treat-
ment, exception. 
72 Stat. 1140; 
Ante, p. 381. 
38 use 601-643. 
Regulations. 
Settlement 
provisions. 
78135 0-63—41 
594 
PUBLIC LAW 87-694-SEPT. 25, 1962 
[76 ST\T. 
Effective date. 
(c) Xo action taken by the United States in connection with the 
rights afforded under this legislation shall operate to deny to the in-
jured person the recovery for that portion of his damage not covered 
hereunder. 
SEC. 3. This Act does not limit or repeal any other provision of law 
providing for recovery by the LTnited States of the cost of care and 
treatment described in section 1. 
SEC. 4. This Act becomes effective on the first day of the fourth 
month following the month in which enacted. 
Approved September 25, 1962. 
September 25, 1962 
[H. R. 12689] 
Public Law 87-694 
A
,
N ACT 
To repeal section 557 and to amend section 559 of the Act entitled "An Act to 
establish a code of law for the District of Columbia", approved March 3,1901. 
D. c. 
Commissioners 
of deeds, ap-
pointment provi-
sions, deletion. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and Hou^e of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That section 557 
of the Act entitled "An Act to establish a code of law for the District of 
Columbia", approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 1189,1279; D.C. Code, 
sec. 1-401) is repealed. 
SEC. 2. Section 559 of the Act entitled "An Act to establish a code of 
law for the District of Columbia", approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 
1189, 1279; D.C. Code, sec. 1-402,1-502), is amended by striking out 
"commissioners of deeds and". 
Approved September 25, 1962. 
September 25, 1962 
[S.1161] 
Public Law 87-695 
AN ACT 
To provide for the use of lands in the Garrison Dam project by tho Three 
Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation. 
Indians, 
Grazing privi-
leges. Garrison 
Dam project, 
N. Dak. 
58 Stat. 887. 
33 use 701-1 
et seq. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Rep^'esentatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ Subject to the right 
of the United States to occupy, use, and control the lands acquired by 
the United States within the Fort Berthold Reservation for the con-
struction, operation, and maintenance of the Garrison Dam and Reser-
voir project pursuant to the Flood Control Act of 1944, approved 
December 22, 1944, and amendatory laws, as determined necessary by 
the Secretary of the Army adequately to serve said purposes, the Three 
Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation shall be permitted 
to graze stock without charge on such former Indian land as the 
Secretary of the Army determines is not devoted to other beneficial 
uses, and to lease such land for grazing purposes to members or non-
members of the tribes on such terms and conditions as the Secretary 
of the Interior may prescribe. 
The foregoing grant of grazing privi-
leges shall be subject to rights under existing grazing leases and 
permits. 
Approved September 25, 1962.