Treatment of school accidents

What to do in the event of an accident

In the event of an accident at school, the school nurse is primarily responsible for administering first aid and assessing the need for further treatment; however, if she is not present, this responsibility falls to a teacher or another adult. If necessary, the pupil will be taken to the Keuruu health centre for first aid, to the dental clinic or, in more serious cases, to the central hospital. The pupil’s guardians will be notified of any accident requiring the pupil to be taken off school so that they can arrange for the child’s transport. If the guardians cannot be reached or are unable to come to the scene, the school will ensure the pupil is taken to receive the necessary treatment, accompanied by an adult member of the school staff. At the health centre or hospital reception, it must be stated that the incident is a school accident.

The teacher or other member of school staff who is most familiar with the incident must complete and sign the accident report form, even if there is no immediate need for medical attention. The form must be sent without delay to the Growth and Wellbeing Administration, which will then report the accident to the insurance company.

If an accident occurs on the way to school or if medical attention is required after the school day has ended, the school must be notified as soon as possible and the above instructions must be followed.

Compensation for expenses incurred as a result of an accident

Treatment for accidents occurring at school or other educational establishments, on the way to or from school, or in accommodation is provided free of charge to pupils (Section 34 of the Basic Education Act).

The liability for compensation covers immediate and necessary travel, treatment and medication costs.

Coverage applies during actual school hours, during class trips, school camps and school sports events as set out in the curriculum, and in the event of accidents occurring on the direct route from home to school or from school to home. Medical expenses arising from accidents occurring on the way to or from school involving a car or other motor vehicle are covered by the relevant parties’ motor insurance.

What is covered:

• Travel expenses are reimbursed for the use of public transport, the excess on taxi fares, and the use of a private motor vehicle in accordance with the insurance company’s reimbursement rate (currently €0.33 per kilometre) for jou eys on which the patient was a passenger.
• If an escort is required during the jou ey, their travel expenses will also be reimbursed.
• Any special school transport arrangements required will be provided free of charge, or parents will be reimbursed for the use of their own car upon presentation of a medical certificate. A certificate clearly stating the need for transport must be submitted to the transport planner at the town hall.
• Reimbursement of medical expenses applies to public healthcare services. Visits to private practices are reimbursed only if a referral has been obtained from the public healthcare system or if the city has given prior authorisation to use private healthcare services.
• If parents take their child to a private clinic on their own initiative, reimbursement will only be paid for the amount that the equivalent treatment would have cost within the public healthcare system. 
• Reimbursement is available for prescription medicines prescribed by a doctor; the prescription or a copy of it must be submitted to the Department of Growth and Wellbeing (Town Hall).
• If a doctor in the public healthcare system refers a pupil for further treatment, such as physiotherapy, and it is not possible to arrange this treatment in good time at a health centre, the city will reimburse the costs of private treatment. For physiotherapy, one course of treatment prescribed by a doctor following surgery or the application of a plaster cast will be reimbursed.
• Compensation for permanent impairment, injury or disability resulting from an accident will be paid in accordance with the current insurance terms and conditions.

Reimbursements are paid via bank transfer upon presentation of supporting documents. When visiting a public healthcare facility, if you inform the reception desk at the time of registration that the injury is a school accident, the invoice will be sent directly to Keuruu Town Council. However, if the invoice is sent to the parents or guardians, they must pay the invoice themselves first and then claim reimbursement or request a new invoice addressed to the town.

If parents wish to take out accident insurance for their children that covers more than just immediate medical expenses, they must do so at their own expense.

What is not covered

• The use of private healthcare services, except in the cases mentioned above;
• Damage to personal property, except for, for example, the repair of spectacles or the purchase of new ones if they are beyond repair, where the accident has required first-aid treatment and/or the accident has caused a bruise, scratch or injury as diagnosed by a nurse or doctor. If only the lens(es) of the spectacles have been broken in the accident, the cover does not include the replacement of the frames. Repairs or the purchase of new spectacles must be carried out within two months of the accident;
• Clothing, unless it has been damaged whilst administering first aid:
• Loss of ea ings resulting from absences from work by a carer or escort;
• Travel expenses incurred when visiting a child during their hospital stay.

The school should take out separate travel insurance, particularly for trips abroad, as accident cover does not include, for example, the loss of luggage or illness.

The City of Keuruu’s voluntary accident insurance is provided by Pohjola Insurance Ltd.

This content has been translated using AI