The Peace Corps, which has come under repeated criticism over its medical care for volunteers, has agreed to pay $750,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of a 24-year-old volunteer who died of undiagnosed malaria in the island nation died in Comoros off the coast of East Africa.

The federal government has not admitted guilt or liability for the death of volunteer Bernice Heiderman of Inverness, Illinois, according to a statement of claim filed Tuesday in the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Still, the payment is unusual. Under federal tort law, suing the government is a complicated and difficult process. Adam Dinnell, an attorney for the Heiderman family, said he could find no record of similar financial settlements by the Peace Corps, a federal agency created in the 1960s to spread U.S. peace and goodwill around the world.

In a brief written statement, the Peace Corps said it “continues to mourn the tragic loss” of Ms. Heiderman and remains “committed to ensuring that every volunteer has a safe and successful experience.” It did not directly address the settlement and said it would not comment further “out of respect for the family.”

Ms. Heiderman, whose story was reported in detail by The New York Times in 2020, died alone in a hotel room in January 2018 after sending text messages to her family complaining that her Peace Corps doctor had ignored the health problems she was suffering from, including Headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting etc., treated disparagingly had diarrhea. The Peace Corps inspector general later documented a number of problems in her care.

“Would have treated her in time” concluded the inspector general“She could have made a quick and full recovery.”

In 2018, Congress passed laws Improving the medical care the Peace Corps provides to its volunteers. President Donald J. Trump signed it nine months after Ms. Heiderman’s death. The bill was prompted in part by a Times investigation in 2014 that detailed medical missteps led to the death of Nick Castle, a volunteer in China.

More recently, the Peace Corps was sued from applicants whose invitation was withdrawn for mental health reasons. That lawsuit alleges that the group discriminated against plaintiffs by failing to provide reasonable accommodations.

In their wrongful death lawsuit filed in December 2020, the Heidermans asserted two main claims, according to their attorney, Mr. Dinnell. First, they accused the Peace Corps of providing “negligent medical care” in Africa, he said. But they also blamed the Peace Corps medical officials in Washington who reviewed their daughter’s records for failing to step in and take action.

Ms. Heiderman’s mother, Julie Heiderman, said in an interview that she and her husband were outraged by how the Peace Corps treated them after their daughter’s death. She said officials tried to blame her daughter, who had not taken her medication to prevent malaria. But the inspector general said the agency was responsible for failing to monitor whether volunteers were taking the drugs.

“They accused Bernice of not asking if she could be tested for malaria, which was a slap in the face,” Ms. Heiderman said. Of the settlement, she said, “This is not what we wanted, but they are taking responsibility for their mistakes. “Even though they don’t admit them, the Peace Corps seems to understand that they have treated us terribly.”