(a) The purpose of this chapter is to establish the rights of the California Association of Highway Patrolmen Health Benefits Trust, the Peace Officers Research Association of California Health Benefits Trust, and the California Correctional Peace Officer Association Health Benefits Trust to recover medical costs paid to a participant for injuries, including injuries that result in death, caused by or allegedly caused by a third party.
(b) This chapter does not apply if the participant is injured in the course and scope of his or her employment. In those cases, Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 3850) of Part 1 of Division 4 of the Labor Code governs.