A student who was injured during a work placement has been compensated for medical expenses and subsequent loss of earnings for the summer after the intervention of the Commissioner for Education and the Education Minister.

The decision was announced by Commissioner Charles Farrugia, who did not give the name of the student, the college she attends, nor the private establishment where she was hurt.

The 17-year-old, who was attends “one of Malta’s tertiary education institutions”, was hurt while carrying out duties in a private establishment as part of her course.

Her father requested the college to reimburse the expenses for the treatment, “including those required in the future”.

The college had replied that while it had insurance covering employees, there was no such policy in place that covered students during their work placement.

It was ready “as a gesture of goodwill to pay medical bills incurred up to that point, but as a matter of policy could not commit itself to pay for future expenses”.

The student’s father insisted on future payments as well as reimbursement for income lost from summer work, which his injured daughter was unable to do.

Following his investigation, Prof. Farrugia concluded that the college was responsible for the financial damages sustained by the student and her parents.

Despite the fact that no evidence (such as medical certification) was presented for any permanent disability or claim for future loss of earnings, the commissioner was satisfied regarding the claim for loss of earnings already incurred in the summer immediately following the accident.

The college, Prof. Farrugia continued, should have ensured it had an insurance policy to cover such an eventuality – something that it did after the accident.

Prof. Farrugia recommended that the college pays the student €2,545, which covers medical expenses (€241) and loss of earnings (€2,304) for the summer immediately following the injury.

The college only agreed to pay for the medical expenses but not the potential loss of earnings.

The Commissioner referred the case to Education Minister Evarist Bartolo, who told the college that he considered the Commissioner’s recommendation as “fair and reasonable.”

He instructed the college to pay the full compensation.