Medex 766 files of the attacks in Brussels
The Medex Judicial Medical Service (GGD) has received 766 files from the attacks of 22 March 2016 at Brussels Airport and Maalbeek metro station. An invalidity percentage was calculated for 693, the file has not yet been closed for 10 percent of the applications. The FPS Public Health reports this in an overview on Friday.
Medex plays an important role in the evaluation of ongoing medical developments. The cell for civilian war victims and victims of acts of terrorism of the Federal Pension Service calls on the medical expertise of the GGD. Medex carries out these for all documents of terrorist acts in Belgium
Eighty-four percent of the files come from documents at Zaventem airport, 16 percent are from documents in the Brussels metro station. Of the realized files, 45 percent had a disability rate between 1 and 9 percent, 44 percent with a disability rate between 10 and 39 percent, 4 percent between 40 and 69 percent disability, and 1 percent with a disability above 70 percent.
Legal proceedings
Some files cannot be closed due to legal proceedings. A stay abroad can temporarily delay the procedure.
Ninety-four percent of the files are from people living in Belgium, compared to 6 percent from abroad. By language role, this concerns 49 percent French speakers, 46 percent Dutch speakers, 4 percent English speakers and 1 percent German speakers.
With a disability percentage above 10 percent, the victim can receive a recovery pension, in addition to the reimbursement of medical, paramedical, pharmaceutical and hospitalization costs, orthopedic appliances and prostheses.
If the condition worsens, the victim can apply to the Federal Pension Service at any time. 24 applications are being submitted due to aggravation, according to the FPS Public Health.
Victims with a disability rate of at least 10 percent will be subject to an evaluation of their files in the coming years, 5 after the first decision, as in the legislation, it becomes further.
The FPS also reports that 4 percent (34 files) lodged an appeal, 31 started proceedings at the labor court.