(a) These regulations shall apply only to claims asserted under the Federal Tort Claims Act, as amended, accruing on or after January 18, 1967, for money damages against the United States for injury to, or loss of, property or personal injury or death caused by the negligent or wrongful act or omission of any employee of the Department of Energy (DOE) while acting within the scope of office or employment.

(b) The terms DOE, Department, and Department of Energy as used in this part mean the agency established by the Department of Energy Organization Act (Pub. L. 95-91), 42 U.S.C. 7101, et seq., including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, but do not include any contractor of the Department.

(c) The regulations in this part supplement the Attorney General's regulations in part 14 of chapter 1 of title 28 CFR as amended. Those regulations, including subsequent amendments thereto, and the regulations in this part apply to the consideration by DOE of administrative claims under the Federal Tort Claims Act.

(a) For purposes of these regulations, a claim shall be deemed to have been presented when DOE receives, at a place designated in paragraph (b) of this section, an executed Standard Form 95 or other written notification of an incident, accompanied by a claim for money damages in a definite amount for injury to or loss of property, personal injury, or death, that is alleged to have occurred by reason of the incident. A claim that should have been presented to DOE but which was mistakenly addressed to or filed with another Federal agency, shall be deemed to be presented to DOE on the date the claim is received by DOE. A claim mistakenly addressed to or filed with DOE shall be transferred to the appropriate Federal agency, if ascertainable, or returned to the claimant.

(b) Claims should be mailed in envelopes marked “Attention Office of General Counsel.” Claims shall be mailed or delivered to the DOE installation or office employing the person or persons whose acts or omissions are alleged to have caused the loss, damage, or injury, unless the claimant does not know that address. If the proper address is unknown, claims may be mailed or delivered to: The General Counsel, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC 20585. Forms may be obtained from the same places.

(c) A claim may be amended by the claimant at any time before final DOE action or before the exercise of the claimant's option under 28 U.S.C. 2675(a). Amendments shall be submitted in writing and signed by the claimant or a duly authorized agent or legal representative. If an amendment to a pending claim is filed in time, the DOE shall have 6 months to decide the claim as amended. The claimant's option under 28 U.S.C. 2675(a) shall not accrue until 6 months after the filing of an amendment.

(a) A claim for injury to or loss of property may be presented by the owner of the property interest that is the subject of the claim or the owner's duly authorized agent or legal representative.

(b) A claim for personal injury may be presented by the injured person or the claimant's duly authorized agent or legal representative.

(c) A claim based on death may be presented by the executor or administrator of the decedent's estate or by any other person legally entitled to assert such a claim under the applicable State law.

(d) A claim for a loss that was wholly compensated by an insurer with the rights of a subrogee may be presented by the insurer. A claim for loss that was partially compensated by an insurer with the rights of a subrogee may be presented by the insurer or the insured individually, as their respective interests appear, or jointly. Whenever an insurer presents a claim asserting the rights of a subrogee, it shall present with its claim appropriate evidence that it has the rights of a subrogee.

(e) A claim presented by an agent or legal representative shall be presented in the name of the claimant, be signed by the agent or legal representative, show the title or legal capacity of the person signing, and be accompanied by evidence of authority to present a claim on behalf of the claimant.

(a) Death. In support of a claim based on death, the claimant may be required to submit the following evidence or information:

(1) An authenticated death certificate or other competent evidence showing the cause of death, the date of death, and the age of the decedent.

(2) Decedent's employment or occupation at time of death, including monthly or yearly salary or earnings (if any), and the duration of last employment or occupation.

(3) Full names, addresses, birth dates, kinship, and marital status of the decedent's survivors, including identification of those survivors who were dependent for support upon the decedent at the time of death.

(4) The degree of support afforded by the decedent to each survivor dependent upon decedent for support at the time of death.

(5) Decedent's general physical and mental condition before death.

(6) Itemized bills for medical and burial expenses incurred by reason of the incident causing death, or itemized receipts of payment for such expenses.

(7) If damages for pain and suffering prior to death are claimed, a physican's detailed statement specifying the injuries suffered, the duration of pain and suffering, any drugs administered for pain, and the decedent's physical condition between injury and death.

(8) Any other evidence or information that may have a bearing on either the responsibility of the United States for the death or the amount of damages claimed.

(b) Personal injury. In support of a claim for personal injury, including pain and suffering, the claimant may be required to submit the following evidence or information:

(1) A written report by the attending physician or dentist setting forth the nature and extent of the injury, the nature and extent of treatment, any degree of temporary or permanent disability, the prognosis, the period of hospitalization, and any diminished earning capacity. In addition, the claimant may be required to submit to a physical or mental examination by a physician employed by the DOE or another Federal agency. A copy of the physician's report shall be made available to the claimant upon the claimant's written request, provided that the claimant has, upon request, made or agrees to make available to the DOE any physician's reports previously or thereafter made of the physical or mental condition which is the subject matter of the claim.

(2) Itemized bills for medical, dental, and hospital expenses incurred, or itemized receipts of payment for such expenses.

(3) If the prognosis reveals that future treatment will be needed, a statement of the expected expenses of such treatment.

(4) If a claim is made for loss of time from employment, a written statement from the claimant's employer showing actual time lost from employment, whether the claimant is a full-time or part-time employee, and the wages or salary actually lost.

(5) If a claim is made for loss of income and the claimant is self-employed, documentary evidence showing the amounts of earnings actually lost.

(6) Any other evidence or information that may bear on either the responsibility of the United States for the personal injury or the damages claimed.

(c) Property damage. In support of a claim for injury to or loss of property, real or personal, the claimant may be required to submit the following evidence or information:

(1) Proof of ownership of the property interest that is the subject of the claim.

(2) A detailed statement of the amount claimed with respect to each item of property.

(3) An itemized receipt of payment for necessary repairs or itemized written estimates of the cost of such repairs.

(4) A statement listing date of purchase, purchase price, and salvage value, where repair is not economical.

(5) Any other evidence or information that may bear on either the responsibility of the United States for the injury to or loss of property or the damages claimed.

The General Counsel, the Deputy General Counsel, the Deputy General Counsel for Legal Services, the Assistant General Counsel for Legal Counsel, and any employees of the Department designated by the General Counsel to receive and act on tort claims at Headquarters and field locations are authorized to act on claims.

(a) An award, compromise, or settlement of a claim in excess of $25,000 shall be made only with the prior written approval of the Attorney General or his or her designee. For the purposes of this paragraph, a principal claim and any derivative or subrogated claim shall be treated as a single claim.

(b) An administrative claim may be adjusted, determined, compromised, or settled only after the Department of Justice has been consulted if, in the opinion of the General Counsel or designee:

(1) A new precedent may be involved;

(2) A question of policy may be involved;

(3) The United States may be entitled to indemnity or contribution from a third party and the DOE is unable to adjust the third party claim; or

(4) The compromise of a particular claim, as a practical matter, may control the disposition of a related claim in which the amount to be paid may exceed $25,000.

(c) An administrative claim may be adjusted, determined, compromised, or settled only after consultation with the Department of Justice when the DOE is aware that the United States or an employee, agent, or cost-type contractor of the United States is involved in litagation based on a claim arising out of the same incident or transaction.

(d) The authority of DOE subordinate claims officials to make awards, compromises, and settlements of over $10,000 is subject to the approval of the General Counsel, the Deputy General Counsel, or the Deputy General Counsel for Legal Services.

(a) When Department of Justice approval or consultation is required under § 1014.6, the referral or request shall be transmitted to the Department of Justice by the General Counsel or designee.

(b) When a designee of the General Counsel is processing a claim requiring consultation with, or approval of, either the DOE General Counsel or the Department of Justice, the referral or request shall be sent to the General Counsel in writing and shall contain:

(1) A short and concise statement of the facts and of the reasons for the referral or request,

(2) Copies of relevant portions of the claim file, and

(3) A statement of recommendations or views.

The DOE may investigate, or may request any other Federal agency to investigate, a claim and may conduct, or request another Federal agency to conduct, a physical examination of a claimant and provide a report of the physical examination.

(a) Final denial of an administrative claim shall be in writing and sent to the claimant, or the claimant's attorney or legal representative by certified or registered mail. The notification of final denial may include a statement of the reasons for the denial and shall include a statement that, if the claimant is dissatisfied with the Department's action, the claimant may file suit in an appropriate U.S. District Court not more than 6 months after the notification is mailed.

(b) Before the commencement of suit and before the 6-month period provided in 28 U.S.C. 2401(b) expires, a claimant, or the claimant's duly authorized agent, or legal representative, may file a written request with the DOE General Counsel for reconsideration of a final denial of a claim. Upon the timely filing of a request for reconsideration the DOE shall have 6 months from the date of filing to decide the claim, and the claimant's option under 28 U.S.C. 2675(a) shall not accrue until 6 months after the request for reconsideration is filed. Final DOE action on a request for reconsideration shall be made in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section.

(a) Payment of any approved claim shall not be made unless the claimant executes (1) a Standard Form 1145, (2) a claims settlement agreement, or (3) a Standard Form 95, as appropriate consistent with applicable rules of the Department of Justice, Department of the Treasury, and the General Accounting Office. When a claimant is represented by an attorney, the voucher for payment shall designate both the claimant and the attorney as payees, and the check shall be delivered to the attorney, whose address shall appear on the voucher.

(b) If the claimant or the claimant's agent or legal representative accepts any award, compromise, or settlement made pursuant to the provisions of section 2672 or 2677 of title 28, United States Code, that acceptance shall be final and conclusive on the claimant, the claimant's agent or legal representative, and any other person on whose behalf or for whose benefit the claim has been presented. The acceptance shall constitute a complete release of any claim against the United States and against any employee of the Government whose act or omission gave rise to the claim, by reason of the same subject matter.

A person who files a false claim or makes a false or fraudulent statement in a claim against the United States may be liable to a fine of not more than $10,000 or to imprisonment for not more than 5 years, or both (18 U.S.C. 1001), and, in addtion, to a forfeiture of $2,000 and a penalty of double the loss or damage sustained by the United States (31 U.S.C 231).