37 years ago (!) Martin Töpfer from Lower Austria suffered serious injuries. He quickly continued working, even as a chef. Now that is no longer possible, but he is denied his disability pension.
Life is not easy for Martin Töpfer, now 54 years old, from the Wiener Neustadt district. In a traffic accident in 1987, he suffered serious spinal injuries and a brain hemorrhage. After a stay in hospital and rehabilitation, he returned to work six months later as a cook and waiter, completed his training and even rose to become a chef. But his old injuries soon caught up with him. He suffered from back and knee pain, exhaustion and concentration problems.
Effort quickly led to exhaustion
Pain and little support from colleagues soon forced him to quit his job in the kitchen and take a job in the mailroom. “Work that was too physically demanding and bullying led to total exhaustion with psychoses, panic attacks and depression,” says Töpfer. Relapses followed again with longer periods of sick leave. Töpfer invests enormous sums of money in medicines and private psychotherapy centers. “The effort is considerable, but the clinical picture remains unchanged.”
However, the reports from the Pension Insurance Institute (PV), where Töpfer first applied for a disability pension in 2020, always assess his health condition differently from the treating doctors – they conclude that he is able to work for at least 20 hours. “They denied the extensive findings of my psychiatrists and orthopedic pain specialists,” Töpfer complains.
The PV states: “Mr Töpfer submitted applications for a disability pension in 2020 and 2021, which had to be rejected due to lack of disability. After discussing the factual and legal situation, he withdrew the lawsuit against the negative decision of July 7, 2021 due to failure. The year before, Töpfer again applied for an annulment, but it was again rejected. It was determined that potters could be expected to “work at least half a shift in the general labor market,” the PV explains. Töpfer then filed a lawsuit. The process is underway.
The suffering never ends day or night
Martin Töpfer still suffers from serious concentration problems, sleep disorders and pain. “In principle I am willing to work, but so far I have not found or been offered a suitable job,” says the currently unemployed person. His daily life can only be somewhat mastered with the help of his family and close friends. “On good days I can take short car rides,” he describes his current condition. His wish: “To finally grant me my disability pension after 38 years of work.”
Source: Krone
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