4.  The applicant was born in 1942 and lives in Kherson. 5.  On 18 August 1998 she lodged a claim with the Komsomolsky District Court of Kherson (“the District Court”) against the Komsomolsky District Hospital of Kherson seeking compensation for occupational illness and non-pecuniary damage. 6.  Between 23 September 1998 and 22 February 2005, the applicant lodged seven additional claims that were joined to the main one amounting overall to UAH 102,225 (14,312 euros, EUR)[1]. 7.  On 15 June 2005 the applicant lodged a complaint with the Kherson Regional Court of Appeal (“the Regional Court of Appeal”) seeking to speed up the proceedings in her case. There is no indication whether and, if so, how the court replied. 8.  At a hearing of 21 November 2005 the District Court, in the presence of the applicant's lawyer, partly allowed the applicant's claims. On 14 December 2005 the applicant informed the District Court that she could not attend the hearing due to her sickness. 9.  On 4 April 2006 the Regional Court of Appeal, in the presence of the applicant's lawyer, upheld this judgment. On 31 May 2006 the applicant lodged an appeal in cassation. 10.  By a final ruling of 26 September 2006, sent to the applicant on 10 October 2006, the Supreme Court upheld the lower courts' decisions. 11.  According to the Government, between 18 August 1998 and 26 September 2006, there were about twenty four hearings scheduled in the case and three expert examinations ordered. During the same period of time, the applicant filed three procedural requests and six appeals, of which one appeal was returned to the applicant after the period of fifty days during which the applicant had failed to amend it.