§ 41-9-62 — Claims Within Jurisdiction of Board; Employees Not Within Jurisdiction of Board; Approval of Uncontested Claims

(a) The Board of Adjustment shall have the power and jurisdiction and it shall be its duty to hear and consider all of the following:
(1) All claims for damages to the person or property growing out of any injury done to either the person or property by the state or any of its agencies, commissions, boards, institutions, or departments, with the exception of claims by employees of the state for personal injury or death arising out of the course of employment with the state, where such employees are covered by an employee injury compensation program.
(2) All claims for personal injuries to or the death of any convict, and all claims for personal injuries to or the death of any employee of a city or county board of education, or college or university, arising out of the course of the employee’s employment and where the employee is not covered by a worker’s compensation program.
(3) All claims of members of the public at large or of officers of the law who are not employees of the state arising out of injuries sustained while attempting to recapture escaped convicts, which convicts have escaped after they have been placed in the actual custody of the Department of Corrections.
(4) All claims against the state or any of its agencies, commissions, boards, institutions, or departments arising out of any contract, express or implied, to which the State of Alabama or any of its agencies, commissions, boards, institutions, or departments are parties, where there is claimed a legal or moral obligation resting on the state.
(5) All claims for money overpaid on obligations to the state or any of its agencies, commissions, boards, institutions, or departments.
(6) All claims for money voluntarily paid to the state or any of its agencies, commissions, boards, institutions, or departments where no legal liability existed to make such payment.
(7) All claims for underpayment by the state or any of its agencies, commissions, boards, institutions, or departments to parties having dealings with the state or any of its agencies, commissions, boards, institutions, or departments.
(8) All claims for money or property alleged to have wrongfully escheated to the state.
(9) All claims for injury or death of any student enrolled in any of the public schools of this state resulting from an accident sustained while being transported to or from school or in connection with any school activity in any bus or any motor vehicle operated directly by any school board or agency of the state or through contract with another. Awards payable to any student for injuries sustained in such accident shall be equal to the maximum benefits payable to employees as provided in Chapter 5 of Title 25 for injuries, loss of time, or medical attendance. Where death results from the injuries, the amount payable to the parent or parents of such student shall be equal to the maximum amount payable to a totally dependent parent or parents as provided by Chapter 5 of Title 25. No payment for death of the student shall be made to any parent or parents unless they were actually supporting the student at the time of the accident causing the injuries and death. The fact that the student has no earning capacity or earns an average wage of less than the amount which would entitle the student to maximum benefits under Chapter 5 of Title 25 shall in no way limit an award to the student or his or her parent or parents. Awards for such injuries or death shall constitute a prior and preferred claim against monies appropriated for the minimum program fund, and no part of any award shall be charged against any funds allotted to the school board of the county or city or the district board of education of the independent school district where the accident occurred. If it appears to the Board of Adjustment after investigation that the accident causing the injury or death of the student was caused under circumstances also creating a legal liability for damages on the part of any party and it appears to the Board of Adjustment that a claim may be made against such party by the student, his or her parent or legal representative to recover damages, any payment otherwise due under this subdivision may be withheld by the Board of Adjustment pending final settlement of the claim. If the student or his or her parent or legal representative recovers damages against the party, any sum recovered and collected may be offset against payments due under this subdivision, and the balance due, if any, shall be promptly paid by the Board of Adjustment. This subdivision shall apply to all claims relating to injuries to school children filed with the board within one year of the date of an accident. Minor students shall have, for the purpose of this subdivision, the same power to contract, make elections of remedy, make settlements, and receive compensation as adults would have, subject to the power of the Board of Adjustment in its discretion at any time to require the appointment of a guardian to receive monies or awards. Payments of awards made to such minor students or their guardian shall exclude any further compensation either to the minor students or to their parents for loss of service or otherwise.
(b) The jurisdiction of the Board of Adjustment is specifically limited to the consideration of the claims enumerated in subsection (a) and no others. Nothing contained in this division shall confer upon the Board of Adjustment any jurisdiction now conferred by law upon the State Board of Compromise provided for in Sections 41-1-3 and 41-1-4, and nothing contained in this division shall be construed to confer jurisdiction upon the Board of Adjustment to settle or adjust any matter or claim of which the courts of this state have or had jurisdiction. Provided further, that the Board of Adjustment shall have no jurisdiction over claims growing out of forfeitures or of contracts with any state agency, commission, board, institution, or department where, by law or contract, the state agency, commission, board, institution, or department is made the final arbiter of any disagreement growing out of forfeitures or of contracts of the state agency, commission, board, institution, or department, and, particularly, the Board of Adjustment shall have no jurisdiction of disagreements arising out of contracts entered into by the Department of Transportation.
(c) Employees of municipalities and counties are not to be considered employees of the state or of any of its agencies, commissions, boards, institutions, or departments within the jurisdiction of the Board of Adjustment and within the meaning of the word “employee” as used in this section.
(d) The Board of Adjustment may approve uncontested claims on an expedited basis without a full hearing, subject to the forms and rules adopted under Section 41-9-66.

Legislative History

(Acts 1935, No. 546, p. 1164; Acts 1936-37, Ex. Sess., No. 173, p. 205; Code 1940, T. 55, §334; Acts 1953, No. 540, p. 755; Acts 1994, No. 94-680, p. 1308, §5; Act 2023-502, §1.)