TITLE 10 - US CODE - CHAPTER 163 - MILITARY CLAIMS

10 USC 2731 - Definition

In this chapter, settle means consider, ascertain, adjust, determine, and dispose of a claim, whether by full or partial allowance or by disallowance.

10 USC 2732 - Payment of claims: availability of appropriations

Appropriations available to the Department of Defense for operation and maintenance may be used for payment of claims authorized by law to be paid by the Department of Defense (except for civil functions), including
(1) claims for damages arising under training contracts with carriers; and
(2) repayment of amounts determined by the Secretary concerned to have been erroneously collected
(A) from military and civilian personnel of the Department of Defense; or
(B) from States or territories or the District of Columbia (or members of the National Guard units thereof).

10 USC 2733 - Property loss; personal injury or death: incident to noncombat activities of Department of Army, Navy, or Air Force

(a) Under such regulations as the Secretary concerned may prescribe, he, or, subject to appeal to him, the Judge Advocate General of an armed force under his jurisdiction, or the chief Counsel of the Coast Guard, as appropriate, if designated by him, may settle, and pay in an amount not more than $100,000, a claim against the United States for
(1) damage to or loss of real property, including damage or loss incident to use and occupancy;
(2) damage to or loss of personal property, including property bailed to the United States and including registered or insured mail damaged, lost, or destroyed by a criminal act while in the possession of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, as the case may be; or
(3) personal injury or death;

either caused by a civilian officer or employee of that department, or the Coast Guard, or a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, as the case may be, acting within the scope of his employment, or otherwise incident to noncombat activities of that department, or the Coast Guard.

(b) A claim may be allowed under subsection (a) only if
(1) it is presented in writing within two years after it accrues, except that if the claim accrues in time of war or armed conflict or if such a war or armed conflict intervenes within two years after it accrues, and if good cause is shown, the claim may be presented not later than two years after the war or armed conflict is terminated;
(2) it is not covered by section 2734 of this title or section 2672 of title 28;
(3) it is not for personal injury or death of such a member or civilian officer or employee whose injury or death is incident to his service;
(4) the damage to, or loss of, property, or the personal injury or death, was not caused wholly or partly by a negligent or wrongful act of the claimant, his agent, or his employee; or, if so caused, allowed only to the extent that the law of the place where the act or omission complained of occurred would permit recovery from a private individual under like circumstances; and
(5) it is substantiated as prescribed in regulations of the Secretary concerned.

For the purposes of clause (1), the dates of the beginning and ending of an armed conflict are the dates established by concurrent resolution of Congress or by a determination of the President.

(c) Payment may not be made under this section for reimbursement for medical, hospital, or burial services furnished at the expense of the United States.
(d) If the Secretary concerned considers that a claim in excess of $100,000 is meritorious, and the claim otherwise is payable under this section, the Secretary may pay the claimant $100,000 and report any meritorious amount in excess of $100,000 to the Secretary of the Treasury for payment under section 1304 of title 31.
(e) Except as provided in subsection (d), no claim may be paid under this section unless the amount tendered is accepted by the claimant in full satisfaction.
(f) For the purposes of this section, a member of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or of the Public Health Service who is serving with the Navy or Marine Corps shall be treated as if he were a member of that armed force.
(g) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, an officer or employee under the jurisdiction of the Secretary may settle a claim that otherwise would be payable under this section in an amount not to exceed $25,000. A decision of the officer or employee who makes a final settlement decision under this section may be appealed by the claimant to the Secretary concerned or an officer or employee designated by the Secretary for that purpose.
(h) Under such regulations as the Secretary of Defense may prescribe, he or his designee has the same authority as the Secretary of a military department under this section with respect to the settlement of claims based on damage, loss, personal injury, or death caused by a civilian officer or employee of the Department of Defense acting within the scope of his employment or otherwise incident to noncombat activities of that department.

10 USC 2734 - Property loss; personal injury or death: incident to noncombat activities of the armed forces; foreign countries

(a) To promote and to maintain friendly relations through the prompt settlement of meritorious claims, the Secretary concerned, or an officer or employee designated by the Secretary, may appoint, under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, one or more claims commissions, each composed of one or more officers or employees or combination of officers or employees of the armed forces, to settle and pay in an amount not more than $100,000, a claim against the United States for
(1) damage to, or loss of, real property of any foreign country or of any political subdivision or inhabitant of a foreign country, including damage or loss incident to use and occupancy;
(2) damage to, or loss of, personal property of any foreign country or of any political subdivision or inhabitant of a foreign country, including property bailed to the United States; or
(3) personal injury to, or death of, any inhabitant of a foreign country;

if the damage, loss, personal injury, or death occurs outside the United States, or the Commonwealths or possessions, and is caused by, or is otherwise incident to noncombat activities of, the armed forces under his jurisdiction, or is caused by a member thereof or by a civilian employee of the military department concerned or the Coast Guard, as the case may be. The claim of an insured, but not that of a subrogee, may be considered under this subsection. In this section, foreign country includes any place under the jurisdiction of the United States in a foreign country. An officer or employee may serve on a claims commission under the jurisdiction of another armed force only with the consent of the Secretary of his department, or his designee, but shall perform his duties under regulations of the department appointing the commission.

(b) A claim may be allowed under subsection (a) only if
(1) it is presented within two years after it accrues;
(2) in the case of a national of a country at war with the United States, or of any ally of that country, the claimant is determined by the commission or by the local military commander to be friendly to the United States; and
(3) it did not arise from action by an enemy or result directly or indirectly from an act of the armed forces of the United States in combat, except that a claim may be allowed if it arises from an accident or malfunction incident to the operation of an aircraft of the armed forces of the United States, including its airborne ordnance, indirectly related to combat, and occurring while preparing for, going to, or returning from a combat mission.
(c) The Secretary concerned may appoint any officer or employee under the jurisdiction of the Secretary to act as an approval authority for claims determined to be allowable under subsection (a) in an amount in excess of $10,000.
(d) If the Secretary concerned considers that a claim in excess of $100,000 is meritorious, and the claim otherwise is payable under this section, the Secretary may pay the claimant $100,000 and report any meritorious amount in excess of $100,000 to the Secretary of the Treasury for payment under section 1304 of title 31.
(e) Except as provided in subsection (d), no claim may be paid under this section unless the amount tendered is accepted by the claimant in full satisfaction.
(f) Upon the request of the department concerned, a claim arising in that department and covered by subsection (a) may be settled and paid by a commission appointed under subsection (a) and composed of officers of an armed force under the jurisdiction of another department.
(g) Payment of claims against the Coast Guard arising while it is operating as a service in the Department of Homeland Security shall be made out of the appropriation for the operating expenses of the Coast Guard.
(h) The Secretary of Defense may designate any claims commission appointed under subsection (a) to settle and pay, as provided in this section, claims for damage caused by a civilian employee of the Department of Defense other than an employee of a military department. Payments of claims under this subsection shall be made from appropriations as provided in section 2732 of this title.

10 USC 2734a - Property loss; personal injury or death: incident to noncombat activities of armed forces in foreign countries; international agreements

(a) When the United States is a party to an international agreement which provides for the settlement or adjudication and cost sharing of claims against the United States arising out of the acts or omissions of a member or civilian employee of an armed force of the United States done in the performance of official duty, or arising out of any other act, omission, or occurrence for which an armed force of the United States is legally responsible under the law of another party to the international agreement, and causing damage in the territory of such party, the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland Security or their designees may
(1) reimburse the party to the agreement for the agreed pro rata share of amounts, including any authorized arbitration costs, paid by that party in satisfying awards or judgments on claims, in accordance with the agreement; or
(2) pay the party to the agreement the agreed pro rata share of any claim, including any authorized arbitration costs, for damage to property owned by it, in accordance with the agreement.
(b) A claim arising out of an act of an enemy of the United States or arising, directly or indirectly, from an act of the armed forces, or a member thereof, while engaged in combat may not be considered or paid under this section.
(c) A reimbursement or payment under this section shall be made by the Secretary of Defense out of appropriations as provided in section 2732 of this title except that payment of claims against the Coast Guard arising while it is operating as a service of the Department of Homeland Security shall be made out of the appropriations for the operating expenses of the Coast Guard. The appropriations referred to in this subsection may be used to buy foreign currencies required for the reimbursement or payment.
(d) Upon the request of the Secretary of Homeland Security or his designee, any payments made relating to claims arising from the activities of the Coast Guard and covered by subsection (a) may be reimbursed or paid to the foreign country concerned by the authorized representative of the Department of Defense out of appropriations as provided in section 2732 of this title, subject to reimbursement from the Department of Homeland Security.

10 USC 2734b - Property loss; personal injury or death: incident to activities of armed forces of foreign countries in United States; international agreements

(a) When the United States is a party to an international agreement which provides for the settlement or adjudication by the United States under its laws and regulations, and subject to agreed pro rata reimbursement, of claims against another party to the agreement arising out of the acts or omissions of a member or civilian employee of an armed force of that party done in the performance of official duty, or arising out of any other act, omission, or occurrence for which that armed force is legally responsible under applicable United States law, and causing damage in the United States, or a territory, Commonwealth, or possession thereof; those claims may be prosecuted against the United States, or settled by the United States, in accordance with the agreement, as if the acts or omissions upon which they are based were the acts or omissions of a member or a civilian employee of an armed force of the United States.
(b) When a dispute arises in the settlement or adjudication of a claim under this section whether an act or omission was in the performance of official duty, or whether the use of a vehicle of the armed forces was authorized, the dispute shall be decided under the international agreement with the foreign country concerned. Such a decision is final and conclusive. The Secretary of Defense may pay that part of the cost of obtaining such a decision that is chargeable to the United States under that agreement.
(c) A claim arising out of an act of an enemy of the United States may not be considered or paid under this section.
(d) A payment under this section shall be made by the Secretary of Defense out of appropriations as provided in section 2732 of this title.

10 USC 2735 - Settlement: final and conclusive

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the settlement of a claim under section 2733, 2734, 2734a, 2734b, or 2737 of this title is final and conclusive.

10 USC 2736 - Property loss; personal injury or death: advance payment

(a) 
(1) In the case of a person who is injured or killed, or whose property is damaged or lost, under circumstances for which the Secretary of a military department is authorized by law to allow a claim, the Secretary of the military department concerned may make a payment to or for the person, or the legal representatives of the person, in advance of the submission of such a claim or, if such a claim is submitted, in advance of the final settlement of the claim. The amount of such a payment may not exceed $100,000.
(2) Payments under this subsection are limited to payments which would otherwise be payable under section 2733 or 2734 of this title or section 715 of title 32.
(3) The Secretary of a military department may delegate the authority to make payments under this subsection to the Judge Advocate General of an armed force under the jurisdiction of the Secretary. The Secretary may delegate such authority to any other officer or employee under the jurisdiction of the Secretary, but only with respect to the payment of amounts of $25,000 or less.
(4) Payments under this subsection shall be made under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the military department concerned.
(b) Any amount paid under subsection (a) shall be deducted from any amount that may be allowed under any other provision of law to the person, or his legal representative, for injury, death, damage, or loss attributable to the accident concerned.
(c) So far as practicable, regulations prescribed under this section shall be uniform for the military departments.
(d) Payment of an amount under subsection (a) is not an admission by the United States of liability for the accident concerned.

10 USC 2737 - Property loss; personal injury or death: incident to use of property of the United States and not cognizable under other law

(a) Under such regulations as the Secretary concerned may prescribe, he or his designee may settle and pay, in an amount not more than $1,000, a claim against the United States, not cognizable under any other provision of law, for
(1) damage to, or loss of, property; or
(2) personal injury or death;

caused by a civilian official or employee of a military department or the Coast Guard, or a member of the armed forces, incident to the use of a vehicle of the United States at any place, or any other property of the United States on a Government installation.

(b) Under such regulations as the Secretary of Defense may prescribe, he or his designee has the same authority as the Secretary of a military department with respect to a claim, not cognizable under any other provision of law, for
(1) damage to, or loss of, property; or
(2) personal injury or death;

caused by a civilian official or employee of the Department of Defense not covered by subsection (a), incident to the use of a vehicle of the United States at any place, or any other property of the United States on a Government installation.

(c) A claim may not be allowed under subsection (a) or (b) if the damage to, or loss of, property, or the personal injury or death was caused wholly or partly by a negligent or wrongful act of the claimant, his agent, or his employee.
(d) A claim for personal injury or death under this section may not be allowed for more than the cost of reasonable medical, hospital, and burial expenses actually incurred, and not otherwise furnished or paid by the United States.
(e) No claim may be allowed under this section unless it is presented in writing within two years after it accrues.
(f) A claim may not be paid under subsection (a) or (b) unless the amount tendered is accepted by the claimant in full satisfaction.
(g) No claim or any part thereof, the amount of which is legally recoverable by the claimant under an indemnifying law or indemnity contract, may be paid under this section. No subrogated claim may be paid under this section.
(h) So far as practicable, regulations prescribed under this section shall be uniform. Regulations prescribed under this section by the Secretaries of the military departments must be approved by the Secretary of Defense.

10 USC 2738 - Property loss: reimbursement of members for certain losses of household effects caused by hostile action

(a) Authority To Reimburse.— 
The Secretary concerned may reimburse a member of the armed forces in an amount not more than $100,000 for a loss described in subsection (b).
(b) Covered Losses.— 
This section applies with respect to a loss of household effects sustained during a move made incident to a change of permanent station when, as determined by the Secretary, the loss was caused by a hostile action incident to war or a warlike action by a military force.
(c) Limitation.— 
The Secretary may provide reimbursement under this section for a loss described in subsection (b) only to the extent that the loss is not reimbursed under insurance or under the authority of another provision of law.
(d) Applicability of Other Authorities and Requirements.— 
Subsections (b), (d), (e), (f), and (g) of section 2733 of this title shall apply to a request for a reimbursement under this section as if the request were a claim against the United States.

10 USC 2739 - Amounts recovered from third parties for loss or damage to personal property shipped or stored at Government expense: crediting to appropriations

(a) Crediting of Collections.— 
Any qualifying military department third-party collection shall be credited to the appropriate current appropriation. Amounts so credited shall be merged with the funds in that appropriation and shall be available for the same period and purposes as the funds with which merged.
(b) Appropriate Current Appropriation.— 
For purposes of subsection (a), the appropriate current appropriation with respect to a qualifying military department third-party collection is the appropriation currently available, as of the date of the collection, for the payment of claims by that military department for loss or damage of personal property shipped or stored at Government expense.
(c) Qualifying Military Department Third-Party Collections.— 
For purposes of subsection (a), a qualifying military department third-party collection is any amount that a military department collects under sections 3711, 3716, 3717, and 3721 of title 31 from a third party for a loss or damage to personal property that occurred during shipment or storage of the property at Government expense and for which the Secretary of the military department paid the owner in settlement of a claim.