Montana Title 53. Social Services and Institutions § 53-9-132. Subrogation

(1) If a claimant seeks compensation under this part and compensation is awarded, the office is entitled to full subrogation against a judgment or recovery received by the claimant against the offender or a collateral source arising from the criminally injurious conduct committed by the offender for all compensation paid under this part. The office's right of subrogation is a first lien on the judgment or recovery. If the claimant does not institute the action against the offender or collateral source within 1 year from the date the criminally injurious conduct occurred, the office may institute the action in the name of the claimant or the claimant's personal representative. Funds recovered under this section must be paid to the crime victims compensation and assistance program in the department of justice for deposit in the account provided for in 53-9-113.

(2) If the claimant institutes the action, the office shall pay a proportional share of costs and attorney fees if it recovers under its subrogation interest.

(3) If the office institutes the action in the name of the claimant or the claimant's personal representative and the recovery is in excess of the amount of compensation paid to the claimant and costs incurred by the office in pursuit of the action, the excess must be paid to the claimant.

(4) If a judgment or recovery includes both damages for bodily injury or death for which the office has paid compensation under this part and damages for which the office has not paid compensation, then the office's subrogation interest applies only to that proportion of the judgment or recovery for which it has paid compensation. In a civil action in a court of this state arising out of criminally injurious conduct, the judge, on timely motion, shall direct the jury to return a special verdict indicating separately the amounts of the various items of damages awarded. A claimant may not make recoveries against the offender or collateral source in such a way as to avoid and preclude the office from receiving its proper subrogation share as provided in this section. The office shall release its lien provided for in subsection (1) upon receipt of its subrogation share.