Long COVID sufferers are seeking disability benefits. Will they change the system?

For Chantelle James, a registered nurse who lives in the suburbs of Austin, Texas, the push to keep worker's compensation and receive short-term disability benefits has been demoralizing. In August 2020, the 43-year-old tested positive for COVID-19 and was experiencing chest tightness, coughing, congestion, rashes and balance issues. Now, months later, she still can't fully find her footing. "Anytime I got up, I would just kind of fall down, like I couldn't walk straight," James says.