National Insurance to Significantly Increase Benefits Following Court Rulings

A woman in her 40s from the Netanya area, who suffered injuries in a car accident during her work in the summer of 2023, has been awarded a permanent disability of 14.27% after a prolonged legal battle with the National Insurance Institute (Bituah Leumi). The accident occurred when her vehicle was rear-ended in traffic, causing her head, neck, and back injuries. Initially, the National Insurance Institute recognized the incident as a work accident and provided temporary disability payments.

However, subsequent medical committees denied her permanent disability claims, stating her condition had resolved by October 2023. Her legal team appealed, but the initial appeals committee also rejected her claim, citing insufficient evidence of ongoing neurological issues and treatment for chronic headaches. This decision was challenged in the Regional Labor Court in Tel Aviv.

In April 2025, the court ordered a review of her headache-related disability. Despite submitting extensive medical documentation, the appeals committee again denied her claim, arguing the treatment was not extensive enough. Her lawyers argued the committee failed to properly consider the medical history and follow the court's previous instructions.

In March 2026, during a subsequent court hearing, the National Insurance Institute representative acknowledged a significant flaw in the committee's decision-making process. Consequently, the court mandated that her case be reviewed by a new appeals committee, with the previous committee's protocols withheld to prevent bias.

The new committee convened in July 2026 and recognized her permanent disability, awarding 5% for headaches, 5% for cervical spine limitations, and 5% for lumbar spine limitations, totaling 14.27%. They also retroactively increased her temporary disability from 15% to 20%. The National Insurance Institute paid her approximately NIS 124,000, primarily as a lump sum for permanent disability.

Her lawyers have since filed a claim against the insurance company that insured the vehicle she was driving, arguing that insurance companies typically adhere to the National Insurance Institute's disability assessments for compensation calculations. They believe she may be entitled to further compensation.