Title 40
SECTION 1620.2
1620.2 Administrative claim; when presented.
§ 1620.2 Administrative claim; when presented.(a) For purposes of the provisions of 28 U.S.C. 2401(b), 2672, and 2675, a claim is deemed to have been presented when the CSB receives from a claimant, and/or his or her authorized agent, attorney, or other legal representative, an executed Standard Form 95 (Claim for Damage, Injury or Death), or other written notification of an incident, accompanied by a claim for money damages stating a sum certain (a specific dollar amount) for specified damage to or loss of property, personal injury, death, or other compensable damages alleged to have occurred as a result of the incident. A claimant must present a claim within 2 years of the date of accrual of the claim. The date of accrual generally is determined to be the time of death, injury, or other alleged damages, or if the alleged damages are not immediately apparent, when the claimant discovered (or reasonably should have discovered) the alleged damages and its cause, though the actual date of accrual will always depend on the facts of each case. Claimants should be advised that mailing a claim by the 2-year time limit is not sufficient if the CSB does not receive the claim through the mail by that date. Additionally, claimants should be advised that a claim is not considered presented by the CSB until the CSB receives all information requested in this paragraph. Incomplete claims will be returned to the claimant.
(b) All claims filed under the FTCA as a result of the alleged negligence or wrongful act or omission of the CSB or its employees must be mailed or delivered to the Office of the General Counsel, 2175 K Street NW., Suite 650, Washington, DC 20037.
(c) The FTCA requires that a claim must be presented to the Federal agency whose activities gave rise to the claim. A claim that should have been presented to CSB, but was mistakenly addressed to or filed with another Federal agency, is presented to the CSB, as required by 28 U.S.C. 2401(b), as of the date the claim is received by the CSB. When a claim is mistakenly presented to the CSB, the CSB will transfer the claim to the appropriate Federal agency, if ascertainable, and advise the claimant of the transfer, or return the claim to the claimant if the appropriate Federal agency cannot be determined.
(d) A claimant whose claim arises from an incident involving the CSB and one or more other Federal agencies will identify each agency to which the claim has been submitted at the time the claim is presented to the CSB. The CSB will contact all other affected Federal agencies in order to designate a single agency that will investigate and decide the merits of the claim. In the event a designation cannot be agreed upon by the affected agencies, the Department of Justice will be consulted and that agency will designate a specific agency to investigate and determine the merits of the claim. The designated agency will then notify the claimant that all future correspondence concerning the claim must be directed to the designated Federal agency. All involved Federal agencies may agree to conduct their own administrative reviews and to coordinate the results, or to have the investigation conducted solely by the designated Federal agency. However, in any event, the designated agency will be responsible for the final determination of the claim.
(e) A claim presented in compliance with paragraph (a) of this section may be amended by the claimant at any time prior to final agency action or prior to the exercise of the claimant's option under 28 U.S.C. 2675(a). Amendments must be in writing and signed by the claimant or his or her authorized agent, attorney, or other legal representative. Upon the timely filing of an amendment to a pending claim, the CSB will have an additional 6 months in which to investigate the claim and to make a final disposition of the claim as amended. A claimant's option under 28 U.S.C. 2675(a) will not accrue until 6 months after the filing of an amendment.