A Graz masseuse with long-Covid symptoms applied to the Pensionsversicherungsanstalt (PVA) for disability, which was rejected. According to media reports, the social court in Graz recently ruled that the person concerned was temporarily unable to work and was entitled to rehabilitation benefit retrospectively from March 2021. Long Covid refers to long-term health consequences that can occur after an acute corona disease. These include breathing difficulties as well as exhaustion and reduced performance. Long Covid can also occur after mild illness. The risk factors have not yet been fully elucidated.
“Much misunderstanding”
The medical masseuse fell ill with Covid-19 almost exactly two years ago. As a result, she was no longer able to work due to persistent tiredness and exhaustion. After months of sick leave, this was not extended by the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK), she had to receive unemployment benefits and emergency assistance. At the ÖGK and at the PVA, she encountered a lot of misunderstanding with her illness, said the affected person.
Long road to judgement
The road to judgment took a long time. “You have to take care of a lot yourself in the application process. You often have the feeling that you are being treated very condescendingly. All of this leads to stress and this in turn leads to a worsening of the symptoms,” said the affected person to the “Kleine Zeitung”. “For a long time I wasn’t sure if I should really put myself under this strain. And I know some people for whom it’s too much.” Although she had a moderate course for six weeks, the symptoms returned with full severity in the summer of 2020, the 33-year-old explained to the daily newspaper “Heute”.
Further lawsuits pending
According to media reports, this is the first known case in Austria in which a social court confirmed an inability to appeal due to long-Covid. Around 200 symptoms fall under Long Covid, the pension insurance also refers to this in a written statement to the “Ö1” morning journal on Thursday. Further lawsuits from those affected are still outstanding.
Source: Nachrichten
