Accident at work: Continued payment of wages after 6 weeks – so it goes on

6 weeks of continued payment of wages after an accident at work – you should know that

The most important thing you need to be aware of in the event of an accident at work is the fact that after your accident at work you have to see an accident insurance doctor. He then determines the further course of treatment. In the event of an accident at work, as with any other illness, the employer continues to pay wages for 6 weeks.

• The amount of continued wage payment during these 6 weeks, even after an accident at work, corresponds to the wage that would have been paid during the same period if the illness had not occurred. According to the law, it is 70% of the regular gross salary, but a maximum of 90% of the net salary.
• The employer’s continued payment of wages in the first 6 weeks after the accident at work is based on the same legal provisions as the “normal” continued wage payment in the event of illness. The continued payment of wages is regulated in the law on continued payment of wages and applies equally to all employees.
• After the 6 weeks of continued salary payments by your employer, you will automatically receive your sickness benefit payment slip from your responsible health insurance company if you have a “normal” illness. This must be filled out by the doctor and sent back and your sickness benefit will then be paid out.
• After an accident at work, the procedure is similar. However, you will not receive sickness benefit, but injury benefit. This is also paid to you by your health insurance company. Injury benefit is higher than “normal” sick pay, but never more than your net wage.

This is how the payment of your injury benefit works after an accident at work

After an accident at work, you will receive the so-called injury benefit from your health insurance company after the 6 weeks of continued salary payments from your employer instead of sick pay.

• Your health insurance company will send you a payment slip for this. You must have this filled out and signed by the doctor treating you and send it back to the health insurance company.
• The health insurance company always transfers the injury benefit retrospectively after an accident at work. The first payment period runs from the first day after the end of the 6 weeks of continued salary payment to the last day your treating doctor has confirmed in your payment slip. If the treatment continues, you will be sent the payment slip again and your doctor will have to fill it out again, sign it and you will send it back to the health insurance company. This will then pay you your injury benefit for the now confirmed period.
• Especially after an accident at work, you are dependent on regular and punctual receipt of payments even after the 6 weeks of continued salary payments. As there are slight delays in payment processes due to postal and processing times, you should always keep a copy of your payment slip for yourself. If you do not have your payment slip by the next treatment, take this copy with you to the next treatment and have the doctor fill it out. You can send the completed copy to the health insurance fund instead of the original payment form, thereby significantly reducing processing times. However, at the end of the treatment, all confirmed times should be on the original payment slip.

Please note that you are not free to choose a doctor after an accident at work.