Recent Court Rulings: Perform-Related Accident, Flight Compensation, and Contradictory Accident Reports

Important judgments made in courtrooms across Germany this week have the potential to impact citizens’ lives. Here’s a summary of three recent rulings, as reported by MDR AKTUELL on March 7, 2026.

Corona Illness After School Trip Not a Work-Related Accident

The Münster Administrative Court (Az. 4 K 1748/23) recently ruled that a teacher’s COVID-19 infection contracted shortly after a school trip to Berlin was not considered a work-related accident. Siegfried Sielbach, one of eight teachers supervising approximately 80 students, argued that the infection occurred during work hours. However, the court determined that the specific time and location of the infection could not be definitively proven.

According to the court, establishing a work-related accident requires certainty regarding the location and time of the incident, ruling out any possibility of infection occurring outside of work. The court found the plaintiff unable to precisely prove when and where the infection took place, leaving the possibility of a private setting infection open.

Flight Delays Due to Processing Delays Not an Exceptional Circumstance

A ruling by the Court of the European Union (case T-656/24) addressed flight compensation for delays caused by airport security issues. The Palmenwind family experienced a five-hour flight delay due to the airline waiting for passengers from a previous flight that was significantly delayed due to the fact that of overloaded security checks. The airline cited exceptional circumstances to avoid paying compensation.

The Court of the European Union ruled against the airline, stating that the decision to wait for the delayed passengers was made independently by the airline and was the direct cause of the subsequent flight’s delay. The court clarified that exceptional circumstances would only apply if the airline was legally obligated to wait for the passengers. The German court responsible will now decide on the compensation amount.

No Compensation for Pain and Suffering with Contradictory Accident Descriptions

The Munich District Court (Az. 191 C 991/25) denied additional compensation for pain and suffering to Rica Ricken, who was injured by a closing bus door. Ricken initially reported to the police that she was thrown out of the bus, but later testified in court that the driver closed the door suddenly while she was boarding, trapping her. She sustained a concussion, a bruised knee, and ongoing shoulder pain.

The court ruled that a claimant seeking compensation must provide a consistent and accurate account of the incident. Due to the significant contradictions in Ricken’s descriptions, the court deemed the initial 500 euro payment sufficient.

Note: All names have been changed by the editors.