Rauma still paying for 1989 school dental injury

The city of Rauma has approved nearly €4,200 in compensation for dental treatment stemming from an accident at Kourujärvi school in December 1989, according to a decision by education and administration chief Tiina Toivonen.

This is the latest payment in a case that has already cost the city about €7,600 since 2023. The most recent dental examination concluded that no further procedures are needed, and the city will not cover additional costs for this tooth without a new statement and estimate from a dentist.

Toivonen said such cases appear on her desk several times a year. Municipalities in Finland bear effectively indefinite liability for school accidents, covering costs even when insurers no longer exist. Rauma has paid compensation for incidents dating back to 1964, including accidents from the pre-comprehensive school era.

All school accidents, even minor ones, are recorded to ensure potential future claims can be verified. Compensation is paid only when a causal link between the accident and the injury can be established.