[Fatal post-traumatic alcohol delirium--compensation responsibility in private accident insurance?]

While several case reports about fatal posttraumatic alcohol withdrawal deliriums after minor traumas and compensation by legal insurance have been published this problem has been hardly addressed regarding private accidance insurance. Based on the very comprehensive definition of an accident in the private insurance law posttraumatic deaths by alcohol withdrawal deliriums can be causally related even to minor traumas and compensations by private insurance are justified. However according to section 8 AUB 88 the contribution of preexisting alcoholism and alcohol related organ damage to the lethal outcome must be subtracted.