social security - FOD Sociale Zekerheid
social security - FOD Sociale Zekerheid
social security - FOD Sociale Zekerheid
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Accidents at workAll salaried persons are covered against accidents at work and accidents on the way to andfrom work. Self-employed persons are not subject to these regulations. Civil servants havetheir own specific scheme.Every employer should contract an insurance against accidents at work with a competentinsurance institution. The Fund for Accidents at Work (FAO - FAT) supervises the insuranceinstitutions technically as well as medically. In some cases (ship-owners, seamen, employeesfor whom no insurance for accidents at work has been contracted), the FAO - FAT itself acts as aninsurance company. The FAO - FAT also pays the supplementary allowances.The employer must declare every accident at work within 8 days to the insurance institution.The declaration can be done by means of a special form or via e-mail. If the employer dos notdeclare the accident, the employee or a member of his family can always declare it.A. Risks coveredBoth accidents on the workplace and accidents to and from work are subject to the legislation foraccidents at work.An accident at work in the strict sense of the word is every accident occurring to an employeeduring and because of the execution of his labour contract and causing injury. The causeof such an accident must be a 'sudden event', for instance stumbling over a log of wood. Onesingle external cause is sufficient to open entitlement to indemnities. If the victim can prove thatthere has been a sudden event and that it caused an injury, this combination is considered anaccident at work. When this accident occurred during the execution of the employment contract,it is assumed to be an accident at work.Accidents on the way from and to work are also considered to be accidents at work. Theconcept 'way from and to work' means the normal route the employee has to use to move fromthe threshold of his residence to his work and vice versa. That is not necessarily the shortest route:interruptions and detours are possible under certain conditions.B. Reimbursed damageB.1. Medical and related costsA victim of an accident at work is entitled to the reimbursement of the costs for hospitalcare, physiotherapy, medical, surgical, dental and pharmaceutical care as well as orthopaedicequipment. Care costs are reimbursed according to the applicable fares of sickness insuranceand the insurance institution has to pay the patient fee. No costs can be charged to the victim.In principle, the victim is free to choose the treating practitioner or hospital. However, if theemployer or the insurance institution has an own acknowledged medical, pharmaceutical orhospital service, the victim shall have no freedom of choice. Those company services are totallyfree.54