Virginie Cathala was defended by Me Terral, from the Béziers bar, before the administrative court. J.-P A. – Midi Libre
Virginie Cathala was defended by Mr. Terral, from the Béziers Bar, before the administrative court. J.-P A. – Midi Libre
Virginie Cathala was a nurse in Gruissan in the Aude. In 2021, she contracted an autoimmune disease after being vaccinated against Covid. Defended by Mr. Terral, from the Béziers Bar, the courts recognized the link between her illness and the Covid vaccination. The State will therefore have to compensate this nurse who can no longer work and who was forced to close her practice.
Virginie Cathala displays a smile for the occasion. But behind it, her fragility remains palpable. You have to put on a brave face in the face of adversity. Four years ago, in the middle of a pandemic, this independent nurse got vaccinated against Covid. “The vaccine was necessary, we had to fight. We didn't have masks at the beginning, butcher's aprons, garbage bags to protect ourselves and patients waiting for us. The laboratories released vaccines and the risk-benefit ratio saved many lives. It was a health war and I fell on the front lines, just after the vaccination.” She actually contracted an autoimmune disease in 2021.
The State found liable
On December 17, the administrative court of Montpellier recognized the State's liability for the illness contracted by Virginie. It will pay her compensation. The magistrates recognized a link between this famous vaccination and Pots, the postural tachycardia syndrome, from which Virginie Cathala now suffers and who can no longer practice her profession. She was even forced to sell her practice in Gruissan, in the Aude. “A nurse doesn't just give injections, insists Me Terral who defends Virginie Cathala's interests. A nurse runs around, she moves patients. It is a physically demanding job. The judgment of the administrative court is, in principle, a great victory. It is the first time in France that the link has been established between vaccination and her illness. It is the result of several years of medical wandering. We were proud of them, we applauded them, every evening our health workers and there, faced with the disease, they were somewhat abandoned.”
She worked full of pain
“I went to the polyclinic in Narbonne, explains Virginie Cathala. It was the only place for us to get vaccinated. I wasn't against all that. Since it was done after the injection, they made us wait. Very quickly I had a tachycardia fainting spell. In order not to worry those who were there, I didn't say anything as long as there were people there and then I warned a nurse. They told me that it was stress. No, no, I was a volunteer…” Virginie Cathala went back to work, tired, full of pain. Her doctor then diagnosed pericarditis and immediately stopped her by having her hospitalized. “I never had Covid and I then went through months of medical wandering. Not heard, I went from specialist to specialist until a professor in Toulouse had a doubt. For confirmation, he sent me to Marseille. And Pots syndrome was confirmed.” The main symptom of Pots is an abnormal increase in the pulse, without a drop in blood pressure, when the patient goes from lying down to standing up.
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Climbing a flight of stairs is a challenge
“Whenever I do too many things, my body sends me a signal. And when I say too much of things: for example, getting up, brushing my teeth and getting dressed. Nothing more. I am very tired, I have cognitive problems, vision problems. My autonomic nervous system is affected. It is disabling in everyday life”, emphasizes Virginie. A top athlete, former French gymnastics champion, mountain biker, trail runner, hiker and many family sports activities, she doesn't do anything anymore today. Climbing a flight of stairs is a challenge. Last week, she couldn't go skiing with her daughters. “I stayed on the couch, too exhausted to do anything else. I'm in the middle of a relapse, as often happens. I'm doubling the doses of beta blockers to fight it, but it doesn't take away the muscle and chest pain. It's an ordeal.”
It’s national solidarity
“We dared to offer my client compensation of €1,328 for her loss, insists Me Terral. It’s shameful. When we went to the administrative court, during the first hearing, the judges requested new expert reports. This helped a lot and the results were clear. The moral responsibility of the state is not to leave her alone. We are now asking to get back on our feet. She has lost everything. Her previous life. Her profession. This is a national solidarity case that is opening and it will not be easy every day. From now on, we are thinking about an appeal because we cannot leave my client without any resources. She can no longer work and her disability pension will not last.”
“Four years ago, I was asked to go. I did it. I knew that every vaccine creates its share of losers. It fell on me. I don't want to accept that everything I planned will collapse. I built something stable with my husband. I lost my health. That's enough. I don't want to lose my house now, prevent my children from studying. Today, this is no longer the family life we had. I don't accept it, even if I'm forced to.”
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