mattfromnossa
01-18-2008, 10:44 PM
A Norwegian court has sided with a man who claimed he can't use public transit for fear he'll be ridiculed because he's so short. The state may also need to waive his driver's license fees.
The 22-year-old man himself describes his body as "deformed" because his growth was stunted by radiation treatments he received as a toddler. He claims he was teased and bullied all through his youth and now won't dare take public transit because of social angst.
The plantiff was diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of two. He underwent radiation treatments and chemotherapy that eliminated the tumor, but disturbed his hormone production and stunted his growth. Today he measures 149 centimeters tall, or about 4 feet, 2 inches.
He complained of bitter memories riding the school bus as a child, because of bullying and because he needed more time than his fellow passengers to go on and off the bus. Today he remains subject to anxiety attacks at the thought of riding the bus.
Local authorities in eastern Norway, where he lives, said this is a problem he must tackle himself. The special Norwegian court that decides social welfare conflicts nationwide (Trygderetten) disagreed.
The court sympathized with his claim, and ruled that society shouldn't expose him to the additional psychological burden of riding the bus. The court said he thus can demand that taxpayers finance the purchase of a private car for him.
A state-funded car, according to the court order, is the only way he could enjoy a relatively independent life.
The 22-year-old man himself describes his body as "deformed" because his growth was stunted by radiation treatments he received as a toddler. He claims he was teased and bullied all through his youth and now won't dare take public transit because of social angst.
The plantiff was diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of two. He underwent radiation treatments and chemotherapy that eliminated the tumor, but disturbed his hormone production and stunted his growth. Today he measures 149 centimeters tall, or about 4 feet, 2 inches.
He complained of bitter memories riding the school bus as a child, because of bullying and because he needed more time than his fellow passengers to go on and off the bus. Today he remains subject to anxiety attacks at the thought of riding the bus.
Local authorities in eastern Norway, where he lives, said this is a problem he must tackle himself. The special Norwegian court that decides social welfare conflicts nationwide (Trygderetten) disagreed.
The court sympathized with his claim, and ruled that society shouldn't expose him to the additional psychological burden of riding the bus. The court said he thus can demand that taxpayers finance the purchase of a private car for him.
A state-funded car, according to the court order, is the only way he could enjoy a relatively independent life.