France: Yvelines: A Man Recognized as a Victim of a Work Accident Due to His Electrosensitivity

europe1.fr, 10 October 2018 – translation : An initial medical assessment had concluded that there was “psychiatric” discomfort caused by “anxiety disorders” unrelated to the work environment.

A man diagnosed with electrosensitivity was found to be a victim of a work accident due to his intolerance to electromagnetic waves by the Yvelines Social Security Affairs Court (Tass). This customer service technician from a telecommunications company was the victim of a malaise on November 6, 2013 at his workplace.

According to his lawyer, François Lafforgue, he had been diagnosed as electrosensitive since 2011 but had been kept in the same position despite the recommendations of the occupational health authorities, who had twice requested his transfer to a “position with little exposure to electromagnetic waves”.

In its decision of 27 September, the Tass held that “the existence of an exclusive foreign cause of this accident is not reported” and that it could be attributed to work. It therefore ordered the Caisse primaire d’assurance maladie to pay 1,600 euros to the plaintiff, as well as 2,000 euros in legal costs.

 

The “causal link between the malaise and work” cannot be excluded.

An initial medical assessment had concluded that there was a “psychiatric” malaise caused by “anxiety disorders” unrelated to the work environment. But a second report, written by another doctor, argued that “the signs presented during this malaise could be compatible with a malaise due to hypersensitivity to electromagnetic waves”, stating that “any causal link between the malaise and work cannot be excluded”.

Opens a “breach”.

This is “a first French judicial decision that opens a breach for other electrosensitive victims”, said Me Lafforgue, who is also the lawyer for the Priartem association (For a regulation of mobile phone base stations). The lawyer ensured that he followed about fifteen cases concerning electrosensitive persons for “procedures for applying for disability pension, disabled adult allowance or post adjustment requests”.

 

Electrosensitivity is not recognized as a disease.

Electrosensitivity is not officially recognized as a disease in France. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized in 2005 that it was “characterized by various non-specific symptoms that differ from one individual to another”. But according to WHO there are no clear diagnostic criteria or scientific basis for linking symptoms to exposure to electromagnetic fields.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator

Original article in French:
http://www.europe1.fr/societe/yvelines-un-homme-reconnu-victime-daccident-du-travail-en-raison-de-son-electrosensibilite-3775628

Also see:

French court awards woman disability grant for ‘allergy to gadgets’  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/27/french-court-awards-woman-disability-grant-for-allergy-to-gadgets