(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section and as limited by RCW 77.36.100, 77.36.070, and 77.36.080, the cash compensation portion of each claim by the department under this chapter is limited to the lesser of:

     (a) The value of the damage to the property by wildlife reduced by the amount of compensation provided to the claimant by any nonprofit organizations that provide compensation to private property owners due to financial losses caused by wildlife interactions, except that, subject to appropriation to pay compensation for damage to commercial livestock, the value of killed or injured commercial livestock may be no more than two hundred dollars per sheep, one thousand five hundred dollars per head of cattle, and one thousand five hundred dollars per horse; or

     (b) Ten thousand dollars.

     (2) The department may offer to pay a claim for an amount in excess of ten thousand dollars to the owners of commercial crops or commercial livestock filing a claim under RCW 77.36.100 only if the outcome of an appeal filed by the claimant under RCW 77.36.100 determines a payment higher than ten thousand dollars.

     (3) All payments of claims by the department under this chapter must be paid to the owner of the damaged property and may not be assigned to a third party.

     (4) The burden of proving all property damage, including damage to commercial crops and commercial livestock, belongs to the claimant.

[2009 c 333 § 58.]

NOTES:

     Effective date -- Application -- 2009 c 333 §§ 53-66: See notes following RCW 77.36.010.