Title 28

SECTION 32.15

32.15 Prerequisite certification.

§ 32.15 Prerequisite certification.

(a) Except as provided in the Act, at 34 U.S.C. 10286 or Public Law 107-37, and unless, for good cause shown, the Director grants a waiver, no claim shall be approved unless the following (which shall be necessary, but not sufficient, for such approval) are filed with the PSOB Office:

(1) Subject to paragraphs (b) and (d) of this section, a certification from the public safety officer's public safety agency (as of the injury date) that he died as a direct and proximate result of a line of duty injury, and either -

(i) That his survivors (listed by name, address, relationship to him, and amount received) have received (or legally are entitled to receive) the maximum death benefits legally payable by the agency with respect to deaths of public safety officers of his kind, rank, and tenure; or

(ii) Subject to paragraph (c) of this section, that the agency is not legally authorized to pay -

(A) Any benefits described in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section, to any person; or

(B) Any benefits described in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section, to public safety officers of the kind, rank, and tenure described in such paragraph;

(2) A copy of any findings or rulings made by any public agency (or public safety agency) that relate to the officer's death; and

(3) A certification from the claimant listing every individual known to him who is or might be the officer's child, spouse, or parent.

(b) The provisions of paragraphs (a)(1) and (d) of this section shall also apply with respect to every public agency (or public safety agency) that legally is authorized to pay death benefits with respect to the agency described in such paragraph (a)(1).

(c) No certification described in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section shall be deemed complete for purposes of this section unless it -

(1) Lists every public agency (other than BJA), and every public safety agency, that legally is authorized to pay death benefits with respect to the certifying agency; or

(2) States that no public agency (other than BJA), or public safety agency, legally is authorized to pay death benefits with respect to the certifying agency.

(d) Subject to paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, if the Director finds that the conditions specified in the Act, at 34 U.S.C. 10281(k), are satisfied with respect to a particular public safety officer's death, and that no circumstance specified in the Act, at 34 U.S.C. 10282(a)(1), (2), or (3), applies with respect thereto -

(1) The certification as to death, described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, shall not be required; and

(2) The certification as to benefits, described in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section, shall be deemed complete for purposes of this section if it -

(i) Describes the public agency's (or public safety agency's) understanding of the circumstances (including such causes of which it may be aware) of the officer's death; and

(ii) States that, in connection with deaths occurring under the circumstances described in paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section, the public agency (or public safety agency's) is not legally authorized to pay any benefits described in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section.

[73 FR 76534, Dec. 17, 2008, as amended at 83 FR 22385, May 15, 2018]

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