Ruling: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder of Emergency Medical Technician is Occupational Disease - Landmark Court Ruling Recognizes Paramedic’s PTSD as Work-Related Illness
A Stuttgart court has ruled that a paramedic’s severe PTSD must be recognised as an occupational illness. The decision follows years of legal battles after the emergency responder treated victims of the 2009 Winnenden school shooting. His condition was later deemed directly linked to his work, with no other plausible cause identified.
The paramedic, who served in emergency services for nearly 30 years, was exposed to repeated traumatic incidents throughout his career. By April 2016, his PTSD had become so severe that he required treatment and was eventually forced to leave the profession. The accident insurer initially refused recognition, arguing that PTSD was not listed in official occupational disease regulations.
The case escalated to the Federal Social Court in Kassel, which ruled that recognition as a quasi-occupational disease was possible. The Stuttgart court later confirmed this, stating that the man’s PTSD stemmed from multiple traumatic events—including his response to the Winnenden school shooting. No alternative explanation for his condition was found, solidifying the link to his professional duties.
The ruling sets a precedent for emergency responders suffering from work-related PTSD. The paramedic’s case establishes that such conditions can be legally recognised as occupational illnesses, even if not explicitly listed in regulations. This decision may now influence future claims by other first responders facing similar struggles.
