Facts
Hugo Kügel, born in 1921, worked until February 1979 as an auditor in an insurance company. Due to his severe visual impairment, he took early retirement at the end of March 1979. Since May 1, 1979, he has received a mild disability allowance and since February 1, 1980, a full disability pension. On January 28, 1981, he requested coverage of the costs of a stay in a social rehabilitation facility for the visually impaired in Basel. The compensation fund "Assurance" rejected this request on March 23, 1981, on the grounds that the insured's reintegration could not be achieved by this measure. Hugo Kügel appealed against this decision, requesting coverage of the rehabilitation stay costs by the disability insurance. The Insurance Court of the Canton of Basel-Landschaft upheld the appeal on the grounds of social rehabilitation, but rejected it with regard to professional reintegration. The Federal Insurance Court ultimately rejected the request for coverage of the rehabilitation stay costs.Considerations
The Federal Court considers that the notions of earning capacity within the meaning of Art. 8 para. 1 InvIA and professional life according to Art. 8 para. 2 InvIA must be understood in a broad sense, also encompassing the performance of usual activities within the meaning of Art. 5 para. 1 InvIA. Thus, rehabilitation measures may also aim at integration into domestic activities.
However, in the present case, the social rehabilitation stay is not aimed at…