Gert-Jan van Duren has been battling ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis) for years. “I always feel exhausted. My energy level is comparable to a 3% battery. I am sensitive to everything: it is difficult to resist light and sound.”
If an application is submitted to the UWV for accelerated WIA benefit for full and permanent incapacity for work, it will be rejected. Treatment and recovery are still possible, according to UWV.
very satisfied
Gert-Jan doesn’t let go. Bed and all, he went to court by ambulance last summer to fight for help, as can be seen in the images below:
It fails at first. Now he won on appeal.
Very happy with this result. “After years of fighting against the UWV, we feel like the moral winner.” He is very happy now that there is case law and hopes that he will recover from what happened to other ME patients. “It can give them hope that you can appeal to such an attitude and win it at the same time.”
hundreds of notifications
Ynske Jansen of ME and Disability Support Group says there are many more ME patients whom the UWV believes can recover. They get hundreds of notifications every year. These people will then receive no or less benefit. “It creates uncertainty and fear.”
It is estimated that between 30,000 and 40,000 people in the Netherlands have ME/CFS. They suffer from severe chronic fatigue that is not caused by exercise and not relieved by rest. Even minor exertion can make symptoms worse.
Much is still unknown about the disease. There are also many question marks about the usefulness of current treatments. In 2018, the Health Council concluded that patients are often not taken seriously and that their limitations are not always recognized when applying for help.
response UWV
In its response, UWV points out that strict criteria apply to quickly qualify for benefits. In the case of Gert-Jan, UWV still saw treatment options, so that the chances of recovery were not excluded, an argument that is now being rejected by the judge.
“UWV is of course investigating the decision to see if it has other implications for how we deal with the concept of sustainability in ME,” said a spokesperson. This does not automatically mean that every ME patient is eligible for faster help, he adds. “Ultimately, it is conceivable that another client could participate in a multidisciplinary treatment process.”
UWV said it will also discuss the decision with ME patient advocacy groups.
Source: RTL
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