Accident victims are entitled to non-medical practitioners

Verdict: Accident victims are entitled to non-medical practitioner treatment

21/03/2012

In principle, patients injured in an accident are entitled to compensation. This also applies to treatment with a state-approved alternative practitioner. The district court of Munich ruled that and dismissed a lawsuit.

The district court of Munich has currently ruled that accident victims in principle have a claim for damages. This also applies to treatments with a naturopath. The condition for this, however, is that the health status of the patient is demonstrably improved by the practitioner's performance (AZ 5 O 1837/09).

The judges ruled that treatment was not just about the success of the cure. If, for example, pain that occurred as an accident, alleviated, so these costs must be reimbursed. The verdict also said that also „medical outsider methods“ be reimbursable if, on the basis of scientific evidence, there is a chance of relief, cure or prevention. Thereafter, therapies may also be reimbursable to a non-medical practitioner if a deterioration of health status can be prevented.

The other side had argued that the treatment methods are not listed in the catalog of benefits of the statutory health insurance and therefore no reimbursement in question. „That does not matter“, retorted the judges. (Sb)

Picture: Berlin-pics