Court Recognizes Soroka Hospital Employee's Injury as Work-Related
An employee of Soroka Hospital injured his back while lifting laundry bags, but the National Insurance Institute claimed it was a routine action. The Labor Court accepted his claim, recognized the injury as a work-related injury, and ordered the institution to pay him 4,000 shekels in expenses.
The Regional Labor Court in Beersheba has recognized a back injury sustained by a Soroka Hospital employee as a work-related injury, rejecting the National Insurance Institute's argument that the incident occurred within the scope of his routine duties. Following the ruling, the National Insurance Institute was ordered to pay the employee 4,000 shekels in legal expenses.
According to the claim published in "Bizportal," the employee, who serves as a warehouse team leader and works additional shifts as an orderly, was injured during a 2023 shift. While loading laundry bags onto a service cart, he lifted a third bag from a height of approximately 30 cm to 150 cm, at which point he reported feeling a "pop" in his back.
The court determined that the employee's account was credible and supported by his manager's testimony and medical documentation. It was ruled that the fact that lifting laundry bags was part of his regular work does not preclude the event from being classified as a work accident, as the physical act of lifting can be considered an external factor that caused the injury.
The claim was upheld, and the court officially recognized the event as a work-related injury. The employee's medical condition and the next steps in the legal process are still to be determined, as the National Insurance Institute has been asked to state its position on the case before a medical expert is appointed.
