Petaluma City Schools | AR 3320 Business and Noninstructional Operations
Claims And Actions Against The District
Time Limitations
The following time limitations apply to claims against the district:
1. Claims for money or damages relating to a cause of action for death or for injury to person, personal property or growing crops shall be presented to the Board of Education no later than six months after the accrual of the cause of action. (Government Code 905, 911.2)
2. Claims for money or damages as authorized in Government Code 905 and not included in paragraph #1 above, including claims for damages to real property, shall be presented not later than one year after the accrual of the cause of action. (Government Code 905, 911.2)
Receipt of Claims
A claim, any amendment thereto, or an application for leave to present a late claim shall be deemed presented and received when delivered to the office of the Superintendent or designee or deposited in a post office, subpost office, substation, or mail chute or other like facility maintained by the U.S. Government in a sealed envelope properly addressed to the district office with postage paid or when otherwise actually received in the district office or by the Board secretary or clerk. (Government Code 915, 915.2)
Upon receipt of a claim against the district pursuant to the Government Claims Act, the Superintendent or designee shall promptly provide written notice to the district's JPA or insurance carrier in accordance with the applicable conditions of coverage.
Claim Form
Claims shall be submitted on the district claim form. The Superintendent or designee may return a claim not using the district's claim form and the claim may be resubmitted using the district's form. (Government Code 910.4)
Review of Contents of the Claim
The Superintendent or designee shall review any claim received to ensure that the claim contains all of the following information as specified in Government Code 910 and 910.2:
1. The name and post office address of the claimant
2. The post office address to which the person presenting the claim desires notices to be sent
3. The date, place, and other circumstances of the occurrence or transaction which gave rise to the claim asserted
4. A general description of the indebtedness, obligation, injury, damage, or loss incurred insofar as it may be known at the time of presentation of the claim
5. The name(s) of the public employee(s) causing the injury, damage, or loss if known
6. The amount claimed if it totals less than $10,000 as of the date of the presentation of the claim, including the estimated amount of any prospective injury, damage, or loss, insofar as it may be known at the time of the claim, together with the basis of computation of the amount claimed. If the amount claimed exceeds $10,000, the dollar amount shall not be included in the claim and the claimant shall indicate whether the claim is a "limited civil case."
7. The signature of the claimant or the person acting on his/her behalf
Notice of Claim Insufficiency
The Superintendent or designee shall review all claims for sufficiency of information.
If the claim is found insufficient or not to satisfy the form requirements under Government Code 910 and 910.2, the Superintendent or designee shall, within 20 days of receipt of claim, either personally deliver or mail to claimant at the address stated in the claim or application, a notice that states the particular defects or omission in the claim.
The Board shall not act upon the claim until at least 15 days after such notice is sent. (Government Code 910.8)
Amendment to Claims
Within the time limits provided under the section entitled "Time Limitations" above or prior to final action by the Board, whichever is later, a claim may be amended if, as amended, it relates to the same transaction or occurrence which gave rise to the original claim. (Government Code 910.6)
Late Claims
For claims under item #1 in the section entitled "Time Limitations" above, any person who presents a claim later than six months after the accrual of the cause of action shall present, along with the claim, an application to file a late claim. Such claim and application to present a late claim shall be presented not later than one year after the accrual of the cause of action. (Government Code 911.4)
If a claim is presented late and is not accompanied by an application to present a late claim, the Superintendent or designee shall, within 45 days, give written notice that the claim was not filed timely and that it is being returned without further action. (Government Code 911.3)
The Superintendent or designee shall grant or deny the application to file a late claim within 45 days after it is presented. This 45-day period may be extended by written agreement of the claimant and the Superintendent or designee provided that such agreement is made before the expiration of the 45-day period. (Government Code 911.l6)
The Superintendent or designee shall grant the application to present a late claim where one or more of the following conditions are applicable: (Government Code 911.6)
1. The failure to present the claim was through mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect and the district was not prejudiced in its defense of the claim by the failure to present the claim within the time limit.
2. The person who sustained the alleged injury, damage, or loss was a minor during all of the time specified for presentation of the claim.
3. The person who sustained the alleged injury, damage, or loss was physically or mentally incapacitated during all of the time specified for presentation of the claim and the disability was the reason he/she failed to present the claim.
4. The person who sustained the alleged injury, damage, or loss died before the expiration of the time specified for the presentation of the claim.
If the application to present a late claim is denied, the claimant shall be given notice in substantially the same form as set forth in Government Code 911.8. (Government Code 911.8)
If the Board or Superintendent does not take action on the application to file a late claim within 45 days, the application shall be deemed to have been denied on the 45th day unless the time period has been extended, in which case it shall be denied on the last day of the period specified in the extension agreement. (Government Code 911.6)
Action on Claims
Within 45 days after the presentation or amendment of a claim, the Superintendent or designee shall take action on the claim. This time limit may be extended by written agreement before the expiration of the 45-day period. If the 45-day period has expired, the time limit may be extended if legal action has not been commenced or barred by legal limitations. (Government Code 912.4)
The Superintendent or designee may act on the claim in one of the following ways: (Government Code 912.6)
1. If the Superintendent or designee finds that the claim is not a proper charge against the district, the claim shall be rejected.
2. If the Superintendent or designee finds that the claim is a proper charge against the district and is for an amount justly due, the claim shall be allowed.
3. If the Superintendent or designee finds that the claim is a proper charge against the district but is for an amount greater than is justly due, the Superintendent or designee shall either reject the claim or allow it in the amount justly due and reject it as to the balance.
4. If legal liability of the district or the amount justly due is disputed, the Superintendent or designee may reject or compromise the claim.
5. If the Superintendent or designee takes no action on the claim, the claim shall be deemed rejected.
If the Superintendent or designee allows the claim in whole, or in part, or compromises the claim and the claimant accepts the amount allowed or offered to settle the claim, the Superintendent or designee may require the claimant to accept it in settlement of the entire claim. (Government Code 912.6)
The Superintendent or designee shall transmit to the claimant written notice of action taken or of inaction which is deemed rejection. The notice shall be in the form set forth in Government Code 913 and shall either be personally delivered or mailed to the address stated in the claim or application. (Government Code 913, 915.4)
Regulation PETALUMA CITY SCHOOLS
approved: June 25, 2002 Petaluma, California
revised: February 23, 2010
revised: February 22, 2011