Industrial Injury

in Soviet labor law, temporary or persistent damage to health resulting from a work-related accident. Social security allowances for industrial injuries, as for occupational illnesses, are provided on a preferential basis.

Benefits granted to production workers, other employees, and kolkhozniks for temporary disabilities owing to industrial injuries amount to 100 percent of an injured person’s earnings, regardless of length of continuous service or trade union membership. Similarly, pensions for permanent disabilities resulting from industrial injuries are set independently of length of service and are for larger amounts than pensions for permanent disabilities resulting from common illnesses. Also included in this category are pensions granted for loss of a breadwinner whose death was the result of an industrial injury. If the accident resulting in the worker’s industrial injury occurred by fault of an enterprise or institution, the latter must compensate the victim for losses in excess of the amount of benefits received or of the pension granted and actually received after the injury. In case of death, the right to compensation for damages devolves upon any of the victim’s dependents who are unable to work.