Buenos Aires Province pushes bill to overhaul medical expert system in ART labor cases

The Buenos Aires provincial legislature has introduced a bill to reform medical expert examinations in labor lawsuits against Aseguradoras de Riesgos del Trabajo (ART). The proposal, sponsored by Senator Carlos Kikuchi, seeks to: (1) detach expert fees from the economic value of the case or the assessed disability percentage and replace them with fixed, regulated tariffs; (2) mandate the exclusive use of the national official disability scales established by decrees 658/1996 and 659/1996; and (3) reorganise the expert system so that evaluations are carried out solely by the Pericial Advisory Services of the Buenos Aires Supreme Court or specialised collegiate bodies. The bill has been sent to the Labour and Social Legislation committee for further analysis.

A separate legal guide for the Neuquén region explains workers' rights under the ART system. It clarifies that ART must cover in‑itinere accidents provided the usual route is followed, that informal workers are presumed to have a contract and can demand ART coverage, and that self‑employed professionals must rely on personal accident insurance. The guide also notes that illnesses unrelated to work are not covered by ART, though employees retain salary protection during recovery.