This subpart establishes policies and procedures for all administrative claims under the National Guard Claims Act for which the Air Force has assigned responsibility. Unless otherwise outlined in this subpart, follow procedures as outlined in subpart E of this part for claims arising out of noncombat activities.

(a) Air National Guard (ANG). The federally recognized Air National Guard of each state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam.

(b) ANG member. An ANG member is one who is performing duty under 32 U.S.C., section 316, 502, 503, 504, or 505 for which the member is entitled to pay from the United States or for which the member has waived pay from the United States.

(c) ANG duty status—(1) Active federal service. ANG members may serve on active Federal duty under 10 U.S.C. to augment the active Air Force under certain circumstances or for certain types of duty or training (e.g., overseas training exercises and ANG alert duty). Duty under 10 U.S.C. does not fall under this subpart.

(2) Federally funded duty. ANG members perform specified federally funded duty or training under 32 U.S.C. such as weekend drills, annual training, field exercises, range firing, military schooling, full time unit support, or recruiting duties. Duty under 32 U.S.C. falls under this subpart for noncombat activities.

(3) State duty. State duty is duty not authorized by federal law but required by the governor of the state and paid for from state funds. Such duty includes civil emergencies (natural or other disasters), civil disturbances (riots and strikes), and transportation requirements for official state functions, public health, or safety. State duty does not fall under this subpart.

(d) ANG technicians. An ANG technician is a Federal employee employed under 32 U.S.C. 709. Tort claims arising out of his or her activity are settled under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA).

(a) Settlement authority. (1) The Secretary of the Air Force has authority to:

(i) Settle a claim for $100,000 or less.

(ii) Settle a claim for more than $100,000, paying the first $100,000 and reporting the excess to the General Accounting Office for payment.

(iii) Deny a claim in any amount.

(2) The Judge Advocate General has delegated authority to settle a claim for $100,000 or less, and deny a claim in any amount.

(3) The following individuals have delegated authority to settle a claim for $25,000 or less, and deny a claim in any amount:

(i) The Deputy Judge Advocate General.

(ii) The Director of Civil Law.

(iii) The Chief, Deputy Chief, and Branch Chiefs, Claims and Tort Litigation Staff.

(4) The SJAs of the Air Force component commander of the U.S. geographic combatant commands for claims arising within their respective combatant command areas of responsibility have delegated authority to settle claims payable or to deny claims filed for $25,000 or less.

(5) SJAs of GCMs in PACAF and USAFE have delegated authority to settle claims payable, and deny claims filed, for $15,000 or less.

(b) Redelegation of authority. A settlement authority may redelegate up to $25,000 of settlement authority to a subordinate judge advocate or civilian attorney. This redelegation must be in writing and can be for all claims or limited to a single claim. The Chief, AFLOA/JACC may redelegate up to $25,000, in writing, to paralegals assigned to AFLOA/JACC and, upon request, may authorize installation Staff Judge Advocates to redelegate their settlement authority to paralegals under their supervision.

(c) Appellate authority. Upon appeal a settlement authority has the same authority to settle a claim as that specified above. However, no appellate authority below the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force may deny an appeal of a claim it previously denied.

(d) Authority to reduce, withdraw, and restore settlement authority. Any superior settlement authority may reduce, withdraw, or restore delegated settlement authority.

(e) Settlement negotiations. A settlement authority may settle a claim filed in any amount for a sum within the delegated settlement authority regardless of the amount claimed. Unsettled claims in excess of the delegated settlement authority are sent to the individual with higher settlement authority. Unsuccessful negotiations at one level do not bind higher authority.

(f) Special exceptions. No authority below the level of AFLOA/JACC may settle claims for:

(1) On the job personal injury or death of an employee of a government contractor or subcontractor.

(2) Assault, battery, false imprisonment, false arrest, abuse of process, or malicious prosecution committed by an investigative or law enforcement officer.

(a) Elements of a proper claim. A claim is must be filed on a Standard Form 95 or other written document. It must be signed by the Claimant or authorized agent, be for money damages in a sum certain, and lay out a basic statement as to the nature of the claim that will allow the Air Force to investigate the allegations contained therein.

(b) Amending a claim. A claimant may amend a claim at any time prior to final action. To amend a claim the claimant or his or her authorized agent must submit a written, signed demand.

Subpart P of this part sets forth procedures for such payments.

(a) A claim must be filed in writing within 2 years after it accrues. It is deemed to be filed upon receipt by The Judge Advocate General, USAF/JACC, or a Staff Judge Advocate of the Air Force. A claim accrues when the claimant discovers or reasonably should have discovered the existence of the act that resulted in the claimed loss. The same rules governing accrual pursuant to the Federal Tort Claims Act should be applied with respect to the National Guard Claims Act. Upon receipt of a claim that properly belongs with another military department, the claim is promptly transferred to that department.

(b) The statutory time period excludes the day of the incident and includes the day the claim was filed.

(c) A claim filed after the statute of limitations has run is considered if the U.S. is at war or in an armed conflict when the claim accrues or if the U.S. enters a war or armed conflict after the claim accrues, and if good causes shows how the war or armed conflict prevented the claimant from diligently filing the claim within the statute of limitations. But in no case will a claim be considered if filed more than two years after the war or armed conflict ends.

The following individuals may file a claim under this subpart.

(a) Owners of the property or their authorized agents may file claims for property damage.

(b) Injured persons or their duly authorized agents may file claims for personal injury.

(c) Duly appointed guardians of minor children or any other persons legally entitled to do so under applicable local law may file claims for minors' personal injuries.

(d) Executors or administrators of a decedent's estate or another person legally entitled to do so under applicable local law, may file claims based on:

(1) An individual's death.

(2) A cause of action surviving an individual's death.

(e) Insurers with subrogation rights may file claims for losses paid in full by them. The parties may file claims jointly or individually, to the extent of each party's interest, for losses partially paid by insurers with subrogation rights.

(f) Authorized agents signing claims show their title or legal capacity and present evidence of authority to present the claims.

(a) Citizens and inhabitants of the United States. U.S. inhabitants includes dependents of the U.S. military personnel and federal civilian employees temporarily outside the U.S. for purposes of U.S. Government service.

(b) U.S. military personnel and civilian employees. Note: These personnel are not proper claimants for claims for personal injury or death that occurred incident to their service.

(c) Foreign military personnel when the damage or injury occurs in the U.S. Do not pay for claims under the MCA for personal injury or death of a foreign military personnel that occurred incident to their service.

(d) States, state agencies, counties, or municipalities, or their political subdivisions.

(e) Subrogees of proper claimants to the extent they have paid for the claim in question.

(a) Governments of foreign nations, their agencies, political subdivisions, or municipalities.

(b) Agencies and nonappropriated fund instrumentalities of the U.S. Government including the District of Columbia government.

(c) Inhabitants of foreign countries.

(d) The state, territory and its political subdivisions whose Air National Guard member caused the loss.

(e) Subrogees of the claimants in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section.

Claims arising from noncombat activities of the United States when caused by ANG members performing duty under 32 U.S.C. and acting within the scope of their employment, whether or not such injuries or damages arose out of their negligent or wrongful acts or omissions.

The following are not payable:

(a) Claims covered by the FTCA, FCA, IACA, 10 U.S.C. 2734a and 2734b, Air Force Admiralty Claims Act (AFACA), 10 U.S.C. 9801-9804,9806,MCA,10.S.C. 2733, or covered under the Military Personnel and Civilian Employees' Claims Act (MPCECA), 31 U.S.C. 3701,3721.

(b) NGCA claims arising from noncombat activities in the U.S. are not covered by the FTCA because more elements are needed to state an FTCA claim than are needed to state a claim under the NGCA for noncombat activities. All FTCA claims are based on elements of traditional tort liability (i.e., duty, breach, causation, and damages); that is, they are fault based. Noncombat activity claims under the NGCA are based solely on causation and damages. Because NGCA claims for noncombat activities are not fault based, they are not covered by the FTCA.

(c) See subpart E of this part for other claims not payable.

(d) Claims for damage to or loss of bailed property when the bailor specifically assumed such risk.

(e) Claims for personal injury or death of a person covered by:

(1) The Federal Employees' Compensation Act.

(2) The Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act.

(3) A United States contract or agreement providing employee benefits through insurance, local law, or custom and the United States pays for such benefits either directly or as a part of the consideration under the contract.

(f) Claims for property damage, personal injury or death occurring in a foreign country to an inhabitant of that country.

(g) Claims caused by the negligent or wrongful acts or omissions of members of the District of Columbia ANG.

(h) Claims arising from a private rather than a government transaction.

(i) Claims for patent or copyright infringement.

(j) Claims for damage, use, or other expenses involving the regular acquisition, possession, and disposition of real property by or for the ANG.

(k) Claims for the taking of private real property by a continuing trespass or by a technical trespass such as overflights of aircraft.

(l) Claims for loss of rental fee for personal property.

(m) Claims in litigation against the United States.

(n) Claims for a maritime occurrence covered under U.S. admiralty laws.

(o) Claims for:

(1) Any tax or customs duty.

(2) The detention of any goods or merchandise by any officer of customs, excise, or law enforcement officer.

(p) Claims from an act or omission of any employee of the Government while administering the provisions of the Trading With the Enemy Act.

(q) Claims for damages caused by the United States' imposition or establishment of a quarantine.

(r) Claims for libel, slander, misrepresentation, deceit or interference with contract rights.

(s) Claims that result wholly from the negligent or wrongful act of the claimant or the claimant's agent.

(t) Claims for reimbursement of medical, hospital, or burial expenses furnished at the expense of the United States, any state, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico.

(u) Claims for damage from floods or flood waters.

(v) Claims for damages caused by the fiscal operations of the Treasury or by regulation of the monetary system.

(w) Claims caused by the negligent or wrongful acts or omissions of ANG members acting within the scope of their employment, while performing duty under 32 U.S.C., on or after 29 December 1981.

(x) Claims caused by the negligent or wrongful acts or omissions of ANG technicians employed under 32 U.S.C. 709.

(a) Federal preemption. Many of the exclusions in this subpart are based upon the wording of 28 U.S.C. 2680 or other federal statutes or court decisions interpreting the Federal Tort Claims Act. Federal case law interpreting the same exclusions under the Federal Tort Claims Act is applied to the National Guard Claims Act. Where state law differs with federal law, federal law prevails.

(b) Extent of liability. Where the claim arises is important in determining the extent of liability.

(1) Applicable law. When a claim arises in the United States, its territories or possessions, the same law as if the claim was cognizable under the FTCA will be applied.

(2) Claims in foreign countries. In claims arising in a foreign country, where the claim is for personal injury, death, or damage to or loss of real or personal property caused by an act or omission alleged to be negligent, wrongful, or otherwise involving fault of military personnel or civilian officers or employees of the United States acting within the scope of their employment, liability or the United States is determined according to federal case law interpreting the FTCA. Where the FTCA requires application of the law of the place where the act or omission occurred, settlement authorities will use the rules set forth in the currently adopted edition of the Restatement of the Law, published by the American Law Institute, to evaluate the liability of the Air Force, subject to the following rules:

(i) Absolute or strict liability will not apply for claims not arising from noncombat activities.

(ii) Hedonic damages are not payable.

(iii) The collateral source doctrine will not apply.

(iv) Joint and several liability does not apply. Payment will be made only upon the portion of loss, damage, injury or death attributable to the Armed Forces of the United States.

(v) Future economic loss will be discounted to present value after deducting for federal income taxes and, in cases of wrongful death, personal consumption.

(c) Claims not payable. Do not approve payment for:

(1) Punitive damages.

(2) Cost of medical or hospital services furnished at U.S. expense.

(3) Cost of burial expenses paid by the United States.

(d) Settlement by insurer or joint tortfeasor. When settlement is made by an insurer or joint tortfeasor and an additional award is warranted, an award may be made if both of the following are present:

(1) The United States is not protected by the release executed by the claimant.

(2) The total amount received from such source is first deducted.

This section explains the steps to take when a denial is appealed.

(a) A claimant may appeal the final denial of the claim. The claimant sends the request, in writing, to the settlement authority that issued the denial letter within 60 days of the date the denial letter was mailed. The settlement authority may waive the 60 day time limit for good cause.

(b) Upon receipt of the appeal, the original settlement authority reviews the appeal.

(c) Where the settlement authority does not reach a final agreement on an appealed claim, he or she sends the entire claim file to the next higher settlement authority, who is the appellate authority for that claim. Any higher settlement authority may act upon an appeal.

(d) The decision of the appellate authority is the final administrative action on the claim.

The Air Force becomes subrogated to the rights of the claimant upon settling a claim. The Air Force has the rights of contribution and indemnity permitted by the law of the situs or under contract. Do not seek contribution or indemnity from ANG members whose conduct gave rise to Government liability.

In the settlement of any claim pursuant to 32 U.S.C. 715 and this subpart, attorney fees will not exceed 20 percent of any award provided that when a claim involves payment of an award over $1,000,000, attorney fees on that part of the award exceeding $1,000,000 may be determined by the Secretary of the Air Force. For the purposes of this section, an award is deemed to be the cost to the United States at the time of purchase of a structured settlement, and not its future value.