(a) A prisoner may maintain an action for injury to such prisoner, including physical or mental injury, or both, caused by the wrongful or negligent act of a person during the course of the prisoner’s participation in biomedical or behavioral research conducted pursuant to this title.

(b) In any action pursuant to this section, such damages may be awarded as under all of the circumstances of the case may be just.

(c) When the death of a prisoner is caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another, his or her heirs or personal representatives on their behalf may maintain an action for damages against the person causing the death, or if dead, such person’s personal representatives.

(d) If an action arising out of the same wrongful act or neglect may be maintained pursuant to subdivision (c) for wrongful death to any such prisoner, the action authorized by subdivision (a) shall be consolidated therewith for trial on motion of any interested party.

(e) For the purposes of this section, “heirs” mean only the following:

(1) Those persons who would be entitled to succeed to the property of the decedent according to the provisions of Part 2 (commencing with Section 6400) of Division 6 of the Probate Code, and

(2) Whether or not qualified under paragraph (1), if they were dependent on the decedent, the putative spouse, children of the putative spouse, stepchildren, and parents. As used in this paragraph, “putative spouse” means the surviving spouse of a void or voidable marriage who is found by the court to have believed in good faith that the marriage to the decedent was valid.

(Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 842, Sec. 16. Operative January 1, 1985, by Sec. 58 of Ch. 842.)