Court Awards Woman $50,000 After Losing Unborn Child Due to Road Hazard

A court in Tel Aviv-Jaffa has ordered the local council of Zemer and the telecommunications company Bezeq to pay NIS 185,000 (approximately $50,000 USD) to a woman who suffered a miscarriage after tripping on a road defect. The incident occurred in January 2021 when the woman, who was in advanced pregnancy, was crossing the road in the village of Yamma. Her foot caught on a height difference between the road surface and a Bezeq communication pit, causing her to fall.

Three days after the fall, the woman experienced severe abdominal pain, which intensified. Five days later, she was hospitalized with intense labor pains and bleeding, where doctors informed her that the fetus had died. A pathological examination of the placenta confirmed that the fall had caused premature placental abruption.

The court found both the Zemer Regional Council and Bezeq negligent. The judge assigned 80% of the responsibility to the Zemer Council and 20% to Bezeq, rejecting their claims that the fall was accidental or that the other party was solely responsible. The court noted that both entities failed in their duty to maintain the road and the communication pit.

The Zemer Council argued that the pit cover was Bezeq's sole responsibility and that it was forbidden from making alterations. Bezeq countered that the council had paved the road around the pit multiple times since its installation between 2000-2002, raising the road level without proper coordination or asphalt leveling, thus creating the hazard.

The woman's lawyer stated that while the verdict offers some solace, the compensation does not adequately reflect the gravity of the loss. The legal team is planning to appeal to increase the awarded damages.