§53911 Civil Actions for Losses

Summary

You can bring a federal admiralty lawsuit against the United States in the U.S. district court where you or your agent lives if you disagree about a loss covered under this chapter. If you do not live in the United States, you may sue in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia or in any district where the Attorney General accepts service. Anyone with an interest in the insurance can be made a party. If you sue the United States here, you cannot bring a separate suit for the same matter against a government officer, employee, or agent. The case must be decided under chapter 309 of this title. If you first file a claim with the Secretary of Transportation, the time limit to file a lawsuit stops until the Secretary denies the claim and for 60 days after that. The Secretary is treated as denying the claim if no action is taken within 6 months, unless a different time is agreed for good cause. If the Secretary admits the government owes money but people disagree who should be paid, the government may ask a court to join those people and decide who gets the money. That action can be brought in the District of Columbia or in a district where any claimant lives. The court can order service on people outside the district or publish notice in the Federal Register for unknown claimants. A judgment after such publication ends the government’s liability.