Marine Richard, a 39-year-old French woman who claims to be allergic to Wi-Fi, received a £500-per-month disability allowance from French courts on Monday, according to The Telegraph. Richard said that she has electromagnetic sensitivity and experiences discomfort when in the presence of mobile phones, Wi-Fi and televisions. This marks that first case where French courts have paid disability benefits to a person with electromagnetic sensitivity.
Richard claims to suffer from heart palpitations, headaches and nausea in the presence of electromagnetic devices, according to the Daily Mail.
Richard's symptoms mirror those described in reports by the World Health Organization, although tests on people who claim to suffer from electromagnetic sensitivity showed that they are no more sensitive to electromagnetic fields than those without the condition.
"The pain I've suffered is very real," said Richard. "At its worst, it has felt like I'm being tasered inside my mouth. I've had to change my entire life to find ways to avoid being exposed to wifi and phone signals."
Richards claims she was forced to move to a rural farm and quit her job due to the condition, according to Metro.
"Wi-Fi is everywhere now, so it's very difficult to avoid," she said. "I hardly ever go to public places, and only go to friends' houses if they have switched everything off beforehand."
