(a) In a case where the Regional Counsel determines that damage to or loss of Government property under the jurisdiction of the Department of Veterans Affairs resulted from the negligence or other legal wrong of a person other than an employee of the United States, while acting within the scope of his or her employment, the Regional Counsel will request payment in full of the amount of damage from the person liable therefor or such person's insurer.

(b) The Regional Counsel may collect, compromise, suspend, or terminate collection action on any such claim as is authorized under §2.6(e)(4)(ii) of this chapter, in conformity with the standards in §1.900 series of this chapter. Any such claim that has not been collected in full and which has not been compromised, suspended or terminated and does not exceed $100,000, will be referred by the Regional Counsel to the appropriate U.S. attorney along with the information required by §§1.951 through 1.953 of this chapter. Any claim in excess of $100,000 for which payment in full has not been made, will be transmitted along with the report required by §14.601(a)(2)(i), a report on credit data (§1.952 of this chapter), and any other pertinent information, to the General Counsel for appropriate action.

(c) The General Counsel or those designated in §2.6(e)(4) of this chapter will take action to collect in full on such claims and to compromise, suspend, or terminate any such claims not exceeding $100,000 in conformity with §1.900 series of this chapter. Any such claims not compromised, or on which collection actions is not suspended or terminated and does not exceed $100,000, will be referred to the appropriate U.S. Attorney. Any such claims in excess of $100,000, which have not been collected in full, will be referred by the General Counsel to the Department of Justice for appropriate action.

(d) The provisions of paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section are not applicable to the collection of claims involving damage to General Services Administration Motor Pool System vehicles issued for Department of Veterans Affairs use. Whenever there is any indication that a party other than the operator of a motor pool system vehicle is at fault in an accident, all documents and data pertaining to the accident and its investigation will be submitted to the General Services Administration Regional Counsel of the region that issued the vehicle who has jurisdiction over such matters. Whenever a motor pool system vehicle is involved in an accident, resulting in damage to the property of, or injury to the person of a third party, and the third party asserts a claim against the Department of Veterans Affairs based upon the alleged negligence of the vehicle operator, the claim will be considered under §14.600 et seq.

[38 FR 5474, Mar. 1, 1973, as amended at 42 FR 41418, Aug. 17, 1977; 61 FR 27784, June 3, 1996]