Tendinitis as an occupational disease

Tenditis is considered to be an occupational disease

15.04.2011

Chronic tendonitis may be recognized as an occupational disease if employees can demonstrate that the disease has been caused by continuous professional activities. That's what the administrative court of Aachen ruled.

Chronic tendonitis as an occupational disease
A chronic tendonitis can be recognized as an occupational disease, as confirmed by a recent judgment of the Administrative Court of Aachen. In the present case, one of the tax officials had been working on computers all through the last few years. The plaintiffs made it clear that the disease was caused by the constant and intense work on the computer. Every day she has to work with the keyboard and the PC mouse. However, the defendant state did not want to acknowledge the chronic inflammation and saw no very special risk of tendonitis.

Medical report confirms applicant
To clarify the case, the court ordered an occupational health report from a university professor. The expert therefore came to the conclusion that there is a connection between the professional activity and the illness. By recognizing it as a work-related illness, the court upheld the right to an accident benefit. In individual cases, this creates a claim to a higher retirement pension, costs of therapy or reimbursement of material damage.

The verdict is not yet legally binding. Against the decision of the first chamber of the administrative court of Aachen, the defendant country may appeal to the Higher Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia. (VG Aachen, file number: 1K 1203/09)

Tenosynovitis (tendovaginitis) is an inflammation of the tendon sheaths. The inflammation occurs especially in the area of ​​the forearm and wrist. In an acute inflammation, sufferers usually notice a painful and palpable rubbing of the tendons. In addition, most patients suffer from moderate to severe warming of the affected regions. In the present case, however, the applicant suffered from the chronic form. Here, the sometimes nodular thickening of the affected tendons cause sometimes severe forearm pain. (Sb)

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Image: Ingrid Nickel