Legal scenario in burn care in India

ABSTRACT

Physicians engaged in management of burn patients in India need to keep themselves abreast with the legal requirements. Clinical burn management and liaison with local authorities go almost parallel. Concept of the legal rights of Burn Survivor and the family are emerging now in India. Demarcation between physical impairment status and disability to sustain are discussed. Burn Physicians can help their patients by imparting this information. Pertinent details about Workmen's compensation act, Persons with disabilities act and guidelines for calculation of physical impairments are listed.

KEY WORDS

Burn care - medico legal

• REFERENCES

• 1 American Medical Association's Guides to the evaluation of permanent impairment-American Medical Association: Chicago; 2000.
• 2 The Workmen's Compensation Act 8 of 1923 Full Text available at http://indiacode.nic.in/fullact1.asp?tfnm=192308
• 3 The Workmen's Compensation (amendment) Act, 2000 Act no. 46 of 2000 full text available at http://indiacode.Nic.In/fullact1.Asp?Tfnm=200046
• 4 The Manual for Doctors to evaluate Permanent Physical Impairment- DGHS. 1982.
• 5 Evaluation of Impairments, Disabilities in case of Occupational and other Diseases and Accidents-Society for Participatory Research in India. 1996.
• 6 Guidelines on Disability - Ministry of Social Justice available at http://socialjustice.nic.in/disabled
• 7 Pwd act, 1995: The persons with disabilities (equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation) act. 1995.