Legal Rights

As a person with Osteogenesis Imperfecta and a chronic wheelchair user (due to incorrect treatment) since the age of 16, I began searching for information about my disease when I was 22 years old. While I was searching the laws of the social security institutions and specifically my social security institution (my personal health insurance), I discovered that if someone wanted social and financial support and the right of treatment from the Greek state, meaning taking a pension as a person with disability, he had two choices. He could receive this pension through his parents working insurance if he is unemployed, or he must have had a disease that is officially recognized from the Greek Social Security System.

During that period I was 22 years old, I was studying Psychology, obviously unemployed, so I could only start the procedure with my fathers working Insurance. The only problem then was that the official recognized disabilities were: disabilities due to neurological problems of the spine, sclerosis with a disability percent over 67%, phocomelia and myopathy with the above percent of disability too.

My fathers Social Security Institution had 2 health/medical committees which are consisted of all kinds of specialists (doctors) and which examine you in order to get the disability pension and be recognized and supported from the Greek state. One common complaint that someone can say about these committees is that if you want to be examined from the first committee (committee A) and for example you have a neurological problem, there is a big chance that you will not find a neurologist in this committee to examine you. From my experience I can surely say that in the second committee (committee B) you can find all kinds of specialists.

I was examined by the two health committees (A and B) and was rejected, because O.I. was unknown to them and they had no disease like that in their official list of diseases. I objected their rejection and I asked to be examined by the next 2 health committees, from which I was rejected again for the same reasons. After 4 health committees and their rejections I had only one last committee to get through before I decided to go to the courts. In this committee someone can be examined according to medical and financial factors.

I received the first good news from this last committee, which approved me as a person with disability and I could then look after my health, concerning treatment or whatever else I needed. The only problem was that the director of the social security institution has the right to reject the last committee’s decision, especially when he believes that the person who was examined does not have a severe disability. So that was what exactly happened and the director of IKA (my social security institution) of Thessaloniki where I come from, raised an objection and so my case was taken to court.

My lawyer Damianos Katramados was the person who helped me a lot in this court. After the adjournment of the first court case my story was covered by the Greek Media, in the second and last court case we won.

I also don’t intend to explain all my experiences with my social security institution, which lasted 4 years or to explain all the soul – destroying procedures I had to face until December of 2006 when O.I. was officially recognized from the Greek government (according to the Greek official Newspaper, named FEK). Of course the government through the Ministry of Employment and his Minister pledged in public and to me personally that they would recognize O.I., so I believe that every fight is not a waste, no matter how long it takes to get your rights.

With the official recognition of Osteogenesis Imperfecta as a disability according to the L. 3518-06, section 61(with 80% of disability and over), there are many new movements that can be made in Greece. While the Greek Foundation of O.I. is trying to be held, we could have medical treatments, DNA tests, prenatal diagnosis, medical tests and many others tests covered by social security institutions. Obviously there are many Social Security Institutions in Greece, but with OIF we are aiming to get exactly what our fellow – citizens in Europe, U.S.A., Australia, etc are getting as rights.

Whoever wants to contribute to our claims, please do not hesitate to contact our site.