BASTI FERNANDEZ NEEDS THE SUPPORT AND HELP OF EVERYONE
The 11th August 2017 was a very tragic and fateful day for Basti. The Argentinian groom, employed by the Legacy Polo Club, fell off a horse and suffered major injuries to his fifth cervical vertebra.
He was immediately flown to Zurich University Hospital by helicopter and operated on the same evening. One week later Basti was transferred to the Paraplegic Centre in Nottwil. His diagnosis: quadriplegia, i.e. a paraplegia involving all four limbs (both arms and legs). A very long and intensive rehabilitation awaits him. During the short time that Basti worked for us, we got to know him as an incredibly nice, very humble, cheerful and always helpful man. To many of us he became a very good friend and to others an appreciated, reliable and competent employee. His tragic accident hits us all. Basti’s young life has taken a hard turn and nothing will ever be like it was before.
Accident insurance helps – disability insurance doesn’t apply. Basti has accepted his fate in an admirable way and is now focusing on his best possible recovery. Our aim is to help him use his strength in the most ideal way and to stop him from worrying about finances for now. This is a very ambitious goal and it requires the greatest possible support from all sides.
The accident insurance (UV) entitles Basti to certain benefits:
-Daily allowance: Payment of up to 80% of his grooms wage. This will later be changed into a lifetime pension, the amount of which depends on the degree of disability and the chances of reintegration into working life.
-Helplessness allowance: Serves to cover the costs of an assistant who helps him to get up, eat, wash or else to purchase materials that aren’t covered by the insurance. The amount of this fixed payment depends on the patient’s level of independence in everyday life, i.e. it isn’t an amount of choice. Experience has shown that it often only just covers the incurring assistance costs.
-Personal injury indemnity: A one-off payment. The amount depends on the degree of disability (maximum sum: CHF 148’000.-).
Once he leaves Nottwil all direct medical costs for Basti’s continued care will still be covered by the insurance. He therefore won’t have to worry about catheters, therapies, possible further operations in connection with his accident, emergencies that may occur due to his disability, etc.
However, all other subsequent costs won’t be covered by any insurance and Basti will have to pay for them himself:
-Retraining for reintegration into working life
-Modifications to the house
-Special bed
-Handicap-accessible vehicle or a vehicle to transport him Products to facilitate everyday life a second wheelchair (e.g. for sports).
Usually several hundred thousand francs are needed to make ends meet. A large part of these purchases and adjustments would normally be covered by the Swiss disability insurance (IV). However, due to Basti’s short length of stay in Switzerland, they won’t be covered in his case.
As Basti will in no way be able to live on the accident insurance pension only, we, the Legacy Polo Club, immediately started to raise funds. The money collected was paid into a sub-account (entitled to Basti) of the Rutli Foundation. The withdrawal options are clearly regulated. The money can only be used for Basti’s livelihood and rehabilitation measures.
Every sum donated, large or small, is invaluable for Basti. Please support us in helping this young, polo-enthusiastic man, to tackle his challenging future. He will be dependent on additional financial support from third parties for the rest of his life.
Thank you very much!
For donations:
Contact: Michel Studer, Reichmuth & Co, Rutligasse 1, 6000 Luzern 7, Switzerland phone: +41 41 249 49 77, michel.studer@reichmuthco.ch
For more information:
Website: www.bastifund.org