Brussels Terror Attack Survivor Still Fighting for Compensation 10 Years Later

Walter Benjamin, who lost his leg in the 2016 Brussels terror attacks, continues battling for full compensation a decade after the bombings that killed 32 people. Despite receiving some payments, his case remains unresolved as he deals with ongoing physical and mental trauma.

A decade has passed since terrorists struck Brussels Airport and a metro station, yet Walter Benjamin remains locked in a fight for complete compensation while dealing with lasting physical and psychological wounds from that horrific day.

Benjamin, now 57, was standing in the airport’s departure area when three ISIS operatives entered with luggage packed with explosives on March 22, 2016. Two attackers died in the blast while a third escaped after abandoning his device.

About an hour afterward, another bomber detonated explosives at the Maalbeek metro station. The coordinated assault claimed 32 lives and injured over 300 individuals, with Benjamin among those severely wounded.

“My leg was torn off … right in the middle of the knee,” he said.

The traumatic memories continue haunting Benjamin, who requires medication before entering any airport facility. He believes the terrorists completely destroyed his previous way of life.

“I can still smell the burned bodies,” Benjamin said. “You have to realise this was actually a war zone. People died, people were torn apart.”

Hospital photos from the attack’s aftermath show Benjamin recovering in bed alongside his daughter, with Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde visiting during his treatment.

Today, Benjamin maintains his rehabilitation routine, working out on exercise equipment multiple times weekly as part of his ongoing recovery process.

Beyond physical therapy, Benjamin faces continued bureaucratic struggles over his compensation case. His files from a decade of insurance dealings, medical evaluations, and legal proceedings have grown into towering stacks.

“(It) still hasn’t been closed to this day,” he said. “Every day there’s something new that comes up … It weighs heavily on the mind.”

While Benjamin has collected partial payments from MSIG Europe, the insurance company managing his Brussels Airport claim, no complete resolution has been achieved.

MSIG Europe stated: “Discussions are ongoing to reach a final settlement.”

Additionally, Belgian authorities have significantly cut Benjamin’s war pension – a benefit provided to attack survivors – prompting him to challenge the reduction through legal counsel.

According to Life4Brussels, a survivor advocacy group, Benjamin’s situation reflects a widespread problem. The organization reports that victims encounter a complicated and draining compensation system, leading some to give up their claims entirely.

Assuralia, representing Belgian insurance companies, announced that insurers have distributed 88.2 million euros ($101.78 million) in victim compensation since 2016.

A government representative noted that Belgium’s Commission for Financial Aid to Victims has separately allocated 7.9 million euros ($9.11 million) to attack survivors. Benjamin confirmed receiving money from this source as well.

Belgium plans to commemorate the attacks’ 10th anniversary through multiple ceremonies coordinated by airport officials, Brussels transit authority MIVB, and government agencies working alongside victims’ groups, according to the prime minister’s office.

In July 2023, courts convicted six individuals for their roles in the bombings, imposing sentences ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment.