Court Recognizes Singer Yirmi Kaplan's Stage Fall as Work Accident

A labor court has recognized a fall on stage by singer Yirmi Kaplan during a 2006 performance in Jerusalem as a work accident, twenty years after the incident. The National Insurance Institute had initially denied Kaplan's claim for injury benefits, arguing that he had voluntarily assumed the risk by jumping on stage and that the accident did not occur during his professional work.

Kaplan, 65, who is known for his energetic stage presence, testified that jumping and dancing are an integral part of his performances, aimed at enhancing the audience's experience. He sustained injuries to his neck and upper back after tripping over a guitar stand during a performance at a Jerusalem bar.

Despite the incident occurring in 2006, Kaplan filed his claim with the National Insurance Institute only in 2024. The institute rejected the claim a year later, citing the voluntary risk and lack of proof that the accident was work-related.

Kaplan appealed to the Labor Court, presenting his production manager and guitarist as witnesses. The court, led by Judge Tomer Silora, found Kaplan's testimony credible and accepted his explanation for the delayed claim, attributing it to a lack of awareness of his rights at the time.

In its ruling, the court stated that Kaplan's stage jumps are a routine part of his work as a performer and that the law is intended to provide a safety net for workers. It rejected the National Insurance Institute's argument that his actions constituted voluntary risk-taking, emphasizing that an insured person's contributory negligence should not negate the fundamental recognition of a work injury.