On May 18th at 6 p.m. on ORF 2
Vienna (OTS) – Peter Resetarits will present the following contributions in the program “Citizens’ Lawyer” on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at 6 p.m. on ORF 2:
No orphan’s pension: Is the medical association cutting benefits by two years?
Mr. H. is 24 years old and is studying veterinary medicine in Vienna. Because his father, who worked as a community doctor, died many years ago, he is currently receiving an orphan’s pension of around 440 euros. According to the Medical Act, the orphan’s pension is generally available until the age of 27, as long as vocational training is being carried out. However, the welfare fund of the Lower Austrian Medical Association links the payment to the receipt of family allowance, which expires at the latest at the age of 25. Ombudsman Bernhard Achitz considers this regulation to be illegal.
Still no funding: Why is the AMS not supporting the training of a disabled young woman?
Since autumn 2023, Ms. P. has been completing an extraordinary course of study at a university of education that is specifically aimed at people with cognitive limitations. After completing an apprenticeship in retail, the 23-year-old would like to better prepare herself for working life and is aiming for a career as a teaching assistant. However, the AMS does not support this training; four years are too long. Ombudsman Bernhard Achitz calls for a rethink and more flexibility.
“Shining deals”: dispute over wafer-thin “gold bars”
Eva S. wants to invest in gold for her great-grandchildren. The pensioner noticed an advertisement from a coin institute:
“Gold bars” at a preferential price of 29 euros each. The 77-year-old orders a bar and uses it to trigger further deliveries, which she pays for month after month. Until the Viennese woman notices that the “bars” are thin gold plates weighing 0.15 grams. The Dorotheum estimates the bars to be worth ten euros each. The pensioner recently paid around 70 euros for it. The Coin Institute responds to your complaint by saying that these bars are sought-after collector’s items and collector’s items due to their minting and limited edition. The head of the “Complaints Department” at the Association for Consumer Information assesses the chances of getting the purchase price back in the studio.
Mistake at birth?
“Citizens’ Attorney” has been following the case of little Vinzent S for four years. The boy is eight years old this year and can’t walk, can’t speak, can barely see and can barely hear. The child has to live with serious long-term consequences due to a lack of oxygen at birth and needs around-the-clock care. In 2019, Vinzent’s parents sued the Feldkirch State Hospital, where Vinzent was born, for damages. The contraction recorder showed suspicious values for hours during the birth and the caesarean section was carried out much too late, according to the parents. Now there is a first-instance judgment in this case, which involves a lot of money for Vinzent and his family.