Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 23, 2024

Title 14 - Aeronautics and Space last revised: Nov 21, 2024
§ 15.1 - Scope of regulations.

(a) These regulations apply to claims asserted under the Federal Tort Claims Act, as amended, for money damages against the United States for injury to, or loss of property, or for personal injury or death, caused by the negligent or wrongful act or omission of an employee of the FAA acting within the scope of office or employment. The regulations in this part supplement the Attorney General's regulations in 28 CFR part 14, as amended. The regulations in 28 CFR part 14, as amended, and the regulations in this part apply to consideration by the FAA of administrative claims under the Federal Tort Claims Act.

§ 15.3 - Administrative claim, when presented; appropriate office.

(a) A claim is deemed to have been presented when the FAA 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 sum certain for injury to, or loss of, property or for personal injury or death, alleged to have occurred by reason of the incident. A claim which should have been presented to the FAA but which was mistakenly filed with another Federal agency, is deemed presented to the FAA on the date the claim is received by the FAA at a place designated in paragraph (b) of this section. A claim addressed to, or filed with, the FAA by mistake will be transferred to the appropriate Federal agency, if that agency can be determined, or returned to the claimant.

(b) Claims shall be delivered or mailed to the Assistant Chief Counsel, Litigation Division, AGC-400, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591, or alternatively, may be mailed or delivered to the Regional Counsel in any of the FAA Regional Offices or the Assistant Chief Counsel, Europe, Africa, and Middle East Area Office.

(c) Claim forms are available at each location listed in paragraph (b) of this section.

(d) A claim presented in accordance with this section may be amended by the claimant at any time prior to final FAA action or prior to the exercise of the claimant's option, under 28 U.S.C. 2675(a), to deem the agency's failure to make a final disposition of his or her claim within 6 months after it was filed as a final denial. Each amendment to a claim shall be submitted in writing and signed by the claimant or the claimant's duly authorized agent or legal representative. Upon the timely filing of an amendment to a pending claim, the FAA has 6 months thereafter in which to make a final disposition of the claim as amended, and the claimant's option under 28 U.S.C. 2675(a) does not accrue until 6 months after the filing of the amendment.

[Doc. No. 18884, 44 FR 63723, Nov. 5, 1979, as amended by Amdt. 15-1, 54 FR 39290, Sept. 25, 1989; Amdt. 15-4, 62 FR 46866, Sept. 4, 1997]
§ 15.5 - Administrative claim, who may file.

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

(b) A claim for personal injury may be presented by the injured person or that person'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 applicable State law.

(d) A claim for loss wholly compensated by an insurer with the rights of a subrogee may be presented by the insurer. A claim for loss partially compensated by an insurer with the rights of a subrogee may be presented by the insurer or the insured individually, as their respective interest 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 as agent, executor, administrator, parent, guardian, or other representative.

§ 15.7 - Administrative claims; evidence and information to be submitted.

(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 cause of death, date of death, and age of the decedent.

(2) The 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) 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 conditions 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 physician's detailed statement specifying the injuries suffered, duration of pain and suffering, any drugs administered for pain, and the decedent's physical condition in the interval between injury and death.

(8) Any other evidence or information which 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 injuries, nature and extent of treatment, any degree of temporary or permanent disability, the prognosis, period of hospitalization, and any diminished earning capacity.

(2) In addition to the report required by paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the claimant may be required to submit to a physical or mental examination by a physician employed by the FAA or another Federal agency. A copy of the report of the examining physician is made available to the claimant upon the claimant's written request if the claimant has, upon request, furnished the report required by paragraph (b)(1), and has made or agrees to make available to the FAA any other physician's reports previously or thereafter made on the physical or mental condition which is the subject matter of the claim.

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

(4) If the prognosis reveals the necessity for future treatment, a statement of expected expenses for such treatment.

(5) 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 or part-time employee, and wages or salary actually lost.

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

(7) Any other evidence or information which may have a bearing on 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 which 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 which may have a bearing on either the responsibility of the United States for the injury to or loss of property or the damages claimed.

§ 15.9 - Investigation and examination.

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

authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 28 U.S.C. 2672,2675; 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44721
cite as: 14 CFR 15.1