Missing this deadline can end a case before it starts, and using the wrong procedure can reduce or completely bar recovery. When an injury or property-loss claim involves a federal agency, a postal driver, or another federal employee acting within the scope of employment, payment usually cannot be pursued the same way as an ordinary personal injury case against a private person.

The Federal Tort Claims Act, or FTCA, is the federal statute that waives the United States' sovereign immunity in limited circumstances and allows certain negligence claims against the federal government. It is codified mainly at 28 U.S.C. §§ 1346(b), 2671-2680. Before filing suit, the claimant must first present an administrative claim to the correct federal agency, usually stating a "sum certain" dollar amount. Under 28 U.S.C. § 2401(b), that claim must be presented within 2 years after it accrues, and any lawsuit must be filed within 6 months after the agency mails a final denial. Claims are decided by a judge, not a jury, and punitive damages are not available. The FTCA also excludes several categories, including many discretionary function decisions and acts of independent contractors.

In Alaska, the FTCA can matter after crashes involving federal vehicles near Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson or Eielson AFB, or incidents on federal land and highways during severe weather response. A mistake about whether the driver was a federal employee, a contractor, or military personnel can change who may be sued and whether any claim survives.