First Appeals Hearings Held Post-Pandemic, Rulings Announced by the Court - Appeals hearings conducted post-pandemic are subject to court rulings
In a recent ruling, the Hessian Social Court in Darmstadt has dismissed two appeals concerning care benefits due to health damages following a COVID-19 vaccination. The cases involved a 76-year-old from Frankfurt and a 51-year-old from the Waldeck-Frankenberg district.
The court's decisions were made in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and were based on the requirement for a proven causal link between the vaccination and the complainants' illnesses. However, in both cases, the probability that the vaccination caused the health problems was not present.
The court did not provide further details about the illnesses or the vaccines involved in the cases. The case numbers for the appeals are L 1 VE 24/24 and L1 VE 35/24.
It is important to note that in Germany, claims for compensation for health damages following vaccination are typically processed under the Infection Protection Act (IfSG). The claimant must prove that a link between the vaccination and the health damage is plausible ("überwiegende Wahrscheinlichkeit"). Courts often rely on expert medical opinions, epidemiological data, and individual medical documentation to establish plausibility.
The Hessian Social Court in Darmstadt's rulings do not provide specific details about the standards for proving a causal link in Hessen, Germany. For a detailed legal precedent or the precise wording of a recent judgment, consulting court records or legal databases would be necessary.
In both dismissed cases, the court required a sufficiently probable causal link between the publicly recommended vaccination and the health problems. However, the court found that such a probability was not proven in either case. As a result, the appeals were dismissed, and no entitlement to benefits was granted.
An appeal was not allowed in either case, indicating that the court's decisions were final in these instances. The court's decisions were made in the city of Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany.
[1] The provided sources do not contain a direct ruling from the Sozialgericht Darmstadt or its standards as of 2025. If you require such information, consulting official court records or legal databases would be necessary.
In light of the court's judgments, it is crucial for community members to understand the importance of demonstrating a plausible causal link between vaccination and health damages, as per the Infection Protection Act, in order to qualify for compensation. Additionally, the Hessian Social Court in Darmstadt suggests that healthy living practices, such as engaging in science-backed health-and-wellness activities and seeking mental health therapies-and-treatments, can contribute positively to overall well-being and prevent potential health issues.
